An original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.

This Act is organized into four divisions as follows:

(1) Division A—Department of Defense Authorizations.

(2) Division B—Military Construction Authorizations.

(3) Division C—Department of Energy National Security Authorizations and Other Authorizations.

(4) Division D—Funding Tables.

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 for procurement for the Army, the Navy and the Marine Corps, the Air Force and the Space Force, and Defense-wide activities, as specified in the funding table in section 4101.

Subject to section 3501 of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary of the Army may enter into one or more multiyear contracts, beginning with fiscal year 2027, for the procurement of Infantry Squad Vehicles (ISV), including associated components, spare parts, and support equipment.

The Secretary shall ensure that any contract entered into under subsection (a)—

(A) provides for savings compared to annual procurement;

(B) includes appropriate termination provisions to protect the interests of the United States; and

(C) complies with all requirements of section 3501 of title 10, United States Code.

A contract entered into under subsection (a) shall cover a period of not more than five fiscal years.

The Secretary may include in a contract entered into under subsection (a) provisions for economic order quantity purchases of long-lead items to achieve cost efficiencies.

The Secretary of the Army shall ensure that the Army National Guard is fully integrated into the implementation and future iterations of the document entitled Regaining Arctic Dominance: The U.S. Army in the Arctic (or any successor strategy).

In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of the Army shall carry out the following activities:

(1) Identify specific Army National Guard units with existing cold-weather capabilities or geographical proximity to the Arctic Circle to be designated as Arctic-capable or Arctic-focused.

(2) Establish a modernization roadmap to ensure that Army National Guard units designated for Arctic missions are suitably equipped with mission-critical equipment such as Extreme Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS) gear, over-snow vehicles, and specialized communication equipment.

(3) Expand participation of Army National Guard units in multi-component Arctic exercises, including Northern Edge and Arctic Edge, to validate interoperability, as possible.

Not later than June 30, 2027, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the specific roles, missions, and resource requirements identified for the Army National Guard within the Army's Arctic strategy.

Section 129 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 136 Stat. 2448), as most recently amended by section 121 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 1804), is further amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking up to five;

(2) in subsection (c)—

(A) by inserting, advance construction, or economic order quantities after advance procurement across programs; and

(B) by inserting, spare parts, and major shore-based spares after systems and subsystems; and

(3) in subsection (f), by striking September 30, 2026 and inserting September 30, 2030.

Subsection (g)(2) of such section 129 is amended by striking section 4251(d) and inserting section 4251(e).

Section 123(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92; 133 Stat. 1234) is amended by striking six years and inserting eight years.

If the Secretary of the Navy seeks to acquire one or more cable laying and repair ships, the Secretary shall seek to enter into an agreement with an appropriate vessel construction manager pursuant to which the vessel construction manager shall seek to enter into a contract for the construction of such ships.

The Secretary of the Navy shall ensure that ships procured under subsection (a)—

(1) use a design based on nondevelopmental vessels with commercial design standards; and

(2) to the maximum extent practicable, are constructed using commercial construction practices.

The Secretary of the Navy (in this section referred to as the Secretary) may convey, without consideration, to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission in Huntsville, Alabama (in this section referred to as the Commission), all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to 3 surplus F–14D Tomcat aircraft, (Bureau Numbers 164341, 164602, 159437), which are excess to the operational requirements of the Navy.

The conveyance under subsection (a) shall be made by means of a conditional deed of gift.

The aircraft being conveyed under subsection (a) do not have any capability for use as a platform for launching or releasing munitions or any other combat capability that it was designed to have.

The Secretary shall include in the instrument of conveyance of the aircraft under subsection (a)—

(1) a condition that the Secretary is not required to repair or alter the condition of the aircraft before conveying ownership of the aircraft;

(2) a condition that the Secretary shall provide any maintenance and operations manuals that—

(A) are specific to the F–14D aircraft; and

(B) the Secretary has sufficient intellectual property rights to convey;

(3) a condition that the Secretary shall provide excess spare parts to make one of the F–14D aircraft flyable or able to complete a static display, provided that any part transferred is from existing Navy stock, with no items being procured on behalf of the Commission; and

(4) a condition that the Secretary will not be responsible for transferring any additional parts or providing any additional support beyond what is stated in this section, during or after the conveyance of the aircraft.

The Secretary may—

(1) authorize the Commission to enter into agreements with qualified nonprofit organizations for the purpose of restoring and operating the aircraft transferred under subsection (a) for public display, airshows, and commemorative events to preserve naval aviation heritage; and

(2) if the Secretary authorizes any such agreement, require such additional terms and conditions in the instrument of conveyance as appropriate to protect the interests of the United States.

The Secretary shall include in the instrument of conveyance of the aircraft under subsection (a)—

(1) a condition that the Commission shall operate and maintain the aircraft in compliance with all applicable limitations and maintenance requirements imposed by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration; and

(2) a condition that the Commission shall not convey any ownership interest in, or transfer possession of, the aircraft to another party without the prior approval of the Secretary; and

(3) a condition that if the Secretary determines at any time that the Commission has failed to comply with the conditions set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2), all right, title, and interest in and to the aircraft, including any repair or alteration of the aircraft, shall revert to the United States, and the United States shall have the right of immediate possession of the aircraft.

The conveyance of an aircraft under subsection (a) shall be made at no cost to the United States. Any costs associated with such conveyance, costs of determining compliance with terms of the conveyance, and costs of operation and maintenance of the aircraft conveyed shall be borne by the Commission.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, upon the conveyance of ownership of the aircraft under subsection (a), the United States shall not be liable for any death, injury, loss, or damage that results from any use of such aircraft by any person other than the United States.

The transfer and use of the aircraft under subsection (a) is subject to all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations, including—

(1) the Arms Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.);

(2) the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4811 et seq.);

(3) International Traffic in Arms Regulations (22 C.F.R. 120 et seq.);

(4) Export Administration Regulations (15 C.F.R. 730 et seq.);

(5) Foreign Assets Control Regulations (31 C.F.R. 500 et seq.); and

(6) chapter 37 of title 18, United States Code (commonly known as the Espionage Act).

The Secretary of Defense may not destroy, dismantle, scrap, cannibalize, or otherwise render permanently inoperable any aircraft that—

(1) was manufactured prior to December 31, 1945; and

(2) is in the custody or administrative control of the Department of the Navy as of the date of the enactment of this Act.

Aircraft described in subsection (a) may only be—

(1) retained in the inventory of the Department of the Navy;

(2) transferred to an eligible entity; or

(3) deaccessioned under a plan approved by the Secretary of Defense that supports the long-term preservation of such aircraft, consistent with guidelines described in the committee report accompanying this Act.

The Secretary of Defense may waive the prohibition under subsection (a) on a case-by-case basis only if—

(1) the aircraft is determined by qualified personnel of the Department of the Navy or another eligible entity to be beyond practical restoration or preservation;

(2) no eligible entity expresses interest in accepting the aircraft during the one-year period following the publication of public notice of the availability of the aircraft for transfer;

(3) the Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees written notification and justification of the waiver; and

(4) a period of 30 days has elapsed following the date of such submission.

In this section:

The term aircraft includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing manned aircraft.

The term eligible entity means—

(A) the National Naval Aviation Museum, the National Museum of the Marine Corps, or another official Department of Defense museum; or

(B) a Federal department or agency, nonprofit institution, or museum, with demonstrated indoor preservation and public display capabilities.

Subject to the availability of appropriations for such purposes, the Secretary of the Navy may procure twelve or more E–2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft during fiscal years 2027 through 2029 by entering into one block buy contract.

The Secretary of the Navy may enter into one or more contracts, beginning in fiscal year 2027, for advance procurement and economic order quantities of components and material associated with the aircraft for which authorization to enter into a block buy contract is provided under subsection (a).

Any contract entered into under subsection (a) shall provide that—

(1) any obligation of the United States to make a payment under the contract is subject to the availability of appropriations for that purpose; and

(2) the total liability of the Federal Government for termination of the contract shall be limited to the total amount of funding obligated to the contract at the time of termination.

Subsection (i) of section 9062 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

(1) The Secretary of the Air Force shall—

(A) during the period beginning on October 1, 2026, and ending on October 1, 2035, maintain a total aircraft inventory of fighter aircraft of not less than 1,800 aircraft; and

(B) maintain a total aircraft inventory of combat-coded fighter aircraft of not less than 1,369 aircraft by December 31, 2030.

(2) In this subsection:

(A) The term attrition reserve means aircraft procured and held specifically to replace anticipated aircraft losses resulting from peacetime accidents (mishaps) or wartime attrition.

(B) The term backup aircraft inventory means aircraft authorized in addition to the primary mission aircraft inventory to allow for scheduled and unscheduled depot-level maintenance, modifications, inspections, and repair without reducing the combat-ready fleet.

(C) The term combat-coded with respect to an aircraft means an aircraft that is—

(i) assigned to a combat-designated operational squadron or unit for the performance of its wartime mission;

(ii) formally categorized within the Department of the Air Force inventory management system as primary mission aircraft inventory, backup aircraft inventory, or attrition reserve; and

(iii) resourced and maintained to provide immediate operational capacity and the necessary organic depth required to sustain combat mission effectiveness through modernization cycles, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and combat attrition.

(D) The term fighter aircraft —

(i) means an aircraft that—

(I) is designated by a mission design series prefix of F– or A–;

(II) is manned by one or two crewmembers; and

(III) executes single-role or multi-role missions, including air-to-air combat, air-to-ground attack, air interdiction, suppression or destruction of enemy air defenses, close air support, strike control and reconnaissance, combat search and rescue support, or airborne forward air control; and

(ii) does not include collaborative combat aircraft.

(E) The term primary mission aircraft inventory means aircraft assigned to meet the primary aircraft authorization to a unit for the performance of its wartime mission.

The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect on October 1, 2026.

Subject to section 3501 of title 10, United States Code, except as provided in this section, the Secretary of Defense may enter into one or more multiyear contracts for the procurement of F–35A, F–35B, and F–35C aircraft.

A contract described in subsection (a) is deemed to meet the requirements of section 3501(a) of such title.

Section 3501(i)(2) of such title shall not apply for purposes of this section.

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report with respect to contracts described in subsection (a) containing preliminary findings of the agency head described in paragraphs (1) through (6) of section 3501(a) of such title, together with the basis for such findings.

The Secretary of Defense may enter into one or more contracts for advance procurement of key components of F–35A, F–35B, and F–35C aircraft in economic order quantities.

The Secretary of Defense shall include in any certification submitted under section 3501(i)(3) of such title a description of the specific components the Secretary intends to procure under the authority provided by paragraph (1).

Subject to section 3501 of title 10, United States Code, except as provided in this section, the Secretary of Defense may enter into one or more multiyear contracts for the procurement of F–15EX aircraft.

A contract described in subsection (a) is deemed to meet the requirements of section 3501(a) of such title.

Section 3501(i)(2) of such title shall not apply for purposes of this section.

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a report with respect to contracts described in subsection (a) containing preliminary findings of the agency head described in paragraphs (1) through (6) of section 3501(a) of such title, together with the basis for such findings.

The Secretary of Defense may not exercise the authority provided by subsection (a) until the Secretary submits to Congress a certification that the contractor concerned has the ability to increase production to achieve the objective inventory goal of not less than 268 F–15EX aircraft by 2035.

The Secretary of Defense may enter into one or more contracts for advance procurement of key components of F–15EX aircraft in economic order quantities.

The Secretary of Defense shall include in any certification submitted under section 3501(i)(3) of such title a description of the specific components the Secretary intends to procure under the authority provided by paragraph (1).

Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary of the Air Force may not divest, retire, or otherwise reduce the inventory of MQ–9 aircraft below the baseline inventory level until September 30, 2031.

Any reduction in the inventory of MQ–9 aircraft resulting from combat loss, attrition, or other unplanned damage shall not be considered divestment or other reduction for purposes of paragraph (1).

The Secretary of the Air Force shall, to the maximum extent practicable, take actions to restore the inventory of MQ–9 aircraft to the baseline inventory level following any reduction in inventory described in subparagraph (A).

Not later than 30 days after any reduction in inventory described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary of the Air Force shall submit to the congressional defense committees a notification that includes the following:

(i) A description of the circumstances resulting in the combat loss, attrition, or other unplanned damage of the aircraft.

(ii) An assessment of the impact of such reduction in inventory on operational capability.

(iii) A plan, if any, to replace the aircraft or otherwise mitigate the reduction in inventory.

In this subsection, the term baseline inventory level means the total number of MQ–9 primary mission aircraft in the inventory of the Air Force as of the date of the enactment of this Act.

The Secretary of the Air Force shall ensure that the total inventory of MQ–9 aircraft is not fewer than 180 aircraft on and after October 1, 2028.

The total inventory described in paragraph (1) may include a mix of all variants of MQ–9 aircraft.

The Secretary of the Air Force shall, in consultation with the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, conduct an analysis of alternatives for a medium-altitude intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capability to replace the MQ–9 aircraft.

The analysis required by paragraph (1) shall evaluate options that meet or exceed the operational capabilities provided by the MQ–9 aircraft as of the date of the analysis, including endurance, survivability, sensor capability, and mission flexibility.

Not later than December 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Air Force shall—

(1) submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the results of the analysis required by subsection (c); and

(2) provide a briefing to such committees on such results.

Section 9062 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary of the Air Force may not retire, prepare to retire, or place in storage or in backup aircraft inventory any E–3 aircraft if such actions would reduce the total aircraft inventory for such aircraft below 16.

(B) If the Secretary of the Air Force procures enough E–7 Wedgetail aircraft to accomplish the required mission load, the prohibition under subparagraph (A) shall not apply to actions taken to reduce the total aircraft inventory for E–3 aircraft to below 16 after the date on which such E–7 Wedgetail aircraft are delivered.

(2) The Secretary of the Air Force may not pause, cancel, or terminate the E–7 Wedgetail aircraft program or prepare to pause, cancel, or terminate such program.

Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for operation and maintenance, Air Force, and available to the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for travel expenses, not more than 60 percent may be obligated or expended until the Secretary of the Air Force submits to the congressional defense committees the report required by section 154 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 139 Stat. 767).

Not later than January 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Commander of the United States Transportation Command and in consultation with the commanders of the geographic combatant commands, shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report that includes a comprehensive and detailed strategic plan for the development, acquisition, modernization, and integration of total force mobility capabilities of the Department of Defense through fiscal year 2047.

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

(1) An assessment of—

(A) contested operations across all domains over great distances;

(B) contested lines of communication extending from the United States to operational theaters;

(C) adversary capabilities designed to target United States mobility forces, mobility infrastructure, and logistics networks; and

(D) the requirement for mobility forces to operate in degraded, contested, and highly contested environments, including austere locations, battle-damaged airfields, degraded runways, ramps, taxiways, and other runway-agnostic operating environments.

(2) An assessment of the current mobility force, including—

(A) the ability of Air Mobility Command to support the requirements of all of the Armed Forces in competition, crisis, and conflict;

(B) the ability of Air Mobility Command to support agility concepts for all of the Armed Forces simultaneously in conflict, including agile combat employment, multi-domain task force operations, expeditionary advanced base operations, and distributed maritime operations;

(C) the vulnerability of mobility forces, mobility infrastructure, and global logistics networks in contested environments; and

(D) the degree to which existing mobility capability and capacity meet homeland defense priorities, nuclear mission obligations, and simultaneous global operational demands.

(3) An identification of the attributes required of future mobility forces, including—

(A) secure beyond line-of-sight connectivity with—

(i) service and joint data links;

(ii) service and joint battle management networks; and

(iii) service and joint command and control networks;

(B) automation and autonomous aviation capabilities;

(C) the ability to operate across the full spectrum of threat environments;

(D) flexibility across the full scale of mobility missions, including—

(i) small and distributed missions;

(ii) tactical, operational, and strategic missions; and

(iii) oversized and large-volume movements;

(E) the ability to operate from runway-agnostic and degraded operating locations;

(F) fuel-resilient aviation concepts, including aircraft capable of operating on traditional fuels and emerging propulsion systems, such as electric, hybrid-electric, and hydrogen;

(G) consideration of aircraft designed with open architecture enabling rapid integration of mission systems, including palletized effects, electronic warfare, battle management, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities; and

(H) signature management capabilities that enable mobility aircraft to operate globally while maintaining operational security, including the ability to comply with international aviation safety requirements while limiting exposure of aircraft identity, position, and mission information through publicly accessible tracking systems or other unclassified means.

(4) An evaluation of future tanker capabilities, including—

(A) collaborative tanker aircraft supporting collaborative, distant, and distributed refueling operations in contested environments;

(B) penetrating low-observable tanker aircraft capable of operating in highly contested environments;

(C) low-signature tanker concepts, including blended-wing body tanker aircraft;

(D) tactical tanker aircraft capable of supporting distributed tanker and airlift operations;

(E) modernization of legacy tanker aircraft through connectivity and full automation;

(F) tanker aircraft designed with open architecture and multi-role capability enabling complementary missions, including electronic warfare, battle management, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities;

(G) opportunities to expand tanker capacity through commercial tanker constructs, including Government-owned, contractor-operated models; and

(H) the establishment of a Civil Reserve Air Fleet tanker capability that would enable the commercial operation of tanker aircraft to provide immediate and dependable augmentation of United States tanker capacity.

(5) An evaluation of future airlift capabilities across mission scales, including—

(A) autonomous airlift platforms supporting small and tactical missions;

(B) the establishment of a distributed maneuver pool composed of autonomous and highly automated mobility platforms capable of supporting maneuvering units and distributed operations, with mobility capabilities owned or controlled by lower-echelon multi-service operational units and integrated into the broader mobility enterprise;

(C) improved and automated tactical and operational airlift capabilities supporting maneuver and distributed operations;

(D) new and improved strategic airlift capabilities supporting global force flow and theater reinforcement, including the development of a next-generation strategic airlifter to augment or replace the C–17 aircraft and establishing a new standard for military airlift through improved capability, capacity, survivability, connectivity, automation, and operational flexibility;

(E) oversized and large-volume airlift systems, including plans to support current and future needs of the United States Space Force and other agencies;

(F) vertical takeoff and landing and short-field takeoff and landing airlift platforms supporting multi-service agility and distributed operations;

(G) delivery systems, including automated airdrop, glider, towable, and hybrid aircraft logistics platforms; and

(H) opportunities to expand airlift capacity through commercial operation of strategic airlift aircraft, Civil Reserve Air Fleet participation, and service-based acquisition models, such as effects-as-a-service.

(6) An assessment of command and control architecture required to support mobility operations in contested environments, including—

(A) the use of maneuver battle management using technologies such as artificial intelligence, algorithmic allocation systems, and advanced data architectures to integrate logistics, maneuver, and mobility operations across the Joint Force; and

(B) integration of distributed traditional air battle management capabilities within mobility forces.

(7) An assessment of opportunities to expand mobility capability and capacity through commercial aviation capabilities, including—

(A) the expansion of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet;

(B) the establishment of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet tanker capability;

(C) the commercial operation of excess, transitioned, or Government-owned strategic airlift and tanker aircraft;

(D) the use of service-based acquisition models such as mobility-as-a-service or effects-as-a-service; and

(E) the role of nonprime aviation companies in enabling the building of the future mobility enterprise.

The plan required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.

Section 146(a)(3)(B) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 136 Stat. 2455), as most recently amended by section 145(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 139 Stat. 760), is further amended by striking 2026 and inserting 2028.

Section 146(b)(1) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 136 Stat. 2455), as most recently amended by section 145(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 139 Stat. 760), is further amended by striking 2026 and inserting 2028.

Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 for the use of the Department of Defense for research, development, test, and evaluation, as specified in the funding table in section 4201.

Section 218(f) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 10 U.S.C. 4171 note) is amended by striking relating to software and covered hardware and inserting under the Software Acquisition Pathways pursuant to section 3603 of title 10, United States Code,.

The Secretary of Defense shall, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and in coordination with secretaries of the military departments and the Director of the Missile Defense Agency, as the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate, develop, test, evaluate, demonstrate, and transition to production a portfolio of alternative, affordable, low-cost weapon systems in each of the following categories:

(1) Hypersonic strike systems.

(2) Cruise missiles.

(3) Shoulder-launched missiles.

(4) Extended range munitions.

(5) Mid-range integrated air and missile defense interceptors.

(6) Exo-atmospheric interceptors.

(7) Short-range integrated air and missile defense interceptors.

(8) Medium-range air-to-air missiles.

Programs carried out under paragraph (1) shall—

(1) employ innovative acquisition strategies, including rapid prototyping, digital engineering, modular open-system architectures, commercial-off-the-shelf components where feasible, and other cost-reduction initiatives to achieve significantly lower unit costs than current baseline systems while maintaining operationally relevant performance;

(2) prioritize expendable designs optimized for attritable, high-volume employment, compatibility with existing launch platforms, logistics infrastructure, and command-and-control networks, and the ability to complement existing programs of record;

(3) be designed to enable production at scale in significantly greater quantities than current program of record systems through the prioritization of manufacturing ease and speed;

(4) include technology maturation, risk reduction, flight testing, and transition planning to low-rate initial production no later than fiscal year 2030 for each category specified in subsection (a); and

(5) establish specific cost and performance targets through competitive analysis, market research, prototyping, and experimentation.

In this section:

(1) The term alternative low-cost systems means weapon systems in the categories listed in subsection (a) that are designed to achieve unit procurement costs significantly lower than existing program of record systems while delivering the minimum requirements set forth by the Secretary.

(2) The term cruise missiles means turbojet-powered missiles designed for standoff precision strike against land or sea targets at ranges generally exceeding 250 nautical miles, with simplified guidance, propulsion, and airframe designs.

(3) The term exo-atmospheric interceptors means kinetic hit-to-kill interceptors designed for ballistic missile defense in the exo-atmosphere, with engagement ranges generally exceeding 300 nautical miles (or equivalent altitudes above 50 nautical miles) and closing speeds of not less than Mach 8.

(4) The term extended range munitions means ground-launched precision munitions designed for extended standoff strike at ranges generally exceeding 50 nautical miles.

(5) The term hypersonic strike systems means systems capable of Mach 5 or greater flight with maneuverability, designed for long-range precision strike against time-sensitive, defended, or high-value targets at ranges generally exceeding 550 nautical miles.

(6) The term medium-range air-to-air missiles means guided missiles providing beyond-visual-range air-to-air intercept capability with diverse target-set engagement potential, performing intercepts at not less than 60 nautical miles and with a maximum speed of not less than Mach 3.

(7) The term mid-range integrated air and missile defense interceptors means interceptors optimized for integrated air and missile defense against cruise missiles, aircraft, and short- to medium-range ballistic missiles, with engagement ranges of not less than 30 nautical miles and speeds of not less than Mach 3.5.

(8) The term short-range integrated air and missile defense interceptors means interceptors for terminal defense against aircraft, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial systems, with engagement ranges of not less than five nautical miles and maximum speeds of not less than Mach 2.

(9) The term shoulder-launched missiles means man-portable or vehicle-launched missiles providing fire-and-forget or command-guided anti-armor capability at ranges of not less than one nautical mile.

Section 222(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116–92) is amended—

(1) paragraph (1), by striking Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and inserting Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering;

(2) in paragraph (2), by striking Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and inserting Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering;

(3) in paragraph (4)—

(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking for all or a portion of the overhead costs incurred in support of the arrangement and inserting for the overhead and infrastructure costs needed to support delivery of JASON’s technical assessments; and

(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking a Federal agency that engages JASON and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the Department of Defense may engage with another Federal agency that routinely uses JASON services to arrange for that agency to pay a proportional percentage of the total overhead and infrastructure costs needed to support delivery of JASON’s technical assessments.; and

(4) in paragraph (6), in the matter before subparagraph (A), by inserting until December 31, 2035 after this Act.

Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall promulgate a modified and streamlined process for developing, negotiating and concluding international agreements relating to science and technology cooperation, including memoranda of understanding and project agreements.

The process promulgated under subsection (a) shall—

(1) comply with all other statutory requirements;

(2) delegate authority to the maximum extent practicable;

(3) minimize administrative tasks;

(4) eliminate duplicative reviews; and

(5) impose reasonable timelines for intra-Department of Defense coordination.

Section 249 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 4001 note) is repealed.

Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for containerized instrumentation programs of the Test Resource Management Center, not more than 75 percent may be obligated or expended until the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, in consultation with the Director of the Test Resource Management Center and the Secretaries of the military departments, submits to the congressional defense committees the report described in subsection (b).

The report described in this subsection is a report that details the feasibility, advisability, and cost-benefit analysis of establishing a common architecture for integrating unmanned systems to act as instrumentation platforms for telemetry, flight safety systems, and multi-modal data collection.

The report described in paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(A) A comparative evaluation of the total lifecycle costs, operational benefits, and limitations of alternative manned, containerized, and unmanned vessel instrumentation capabilities. Such evaluation shall include the following:

(i) A direct comparison of the Blue Water Instrumentation (BWI) program at Point Mugu Sea Range with containerized approaches such as the Broad Ocean Area Data Collection System (BOADCS) and the Mobile Open-System Architecture Instrumentation Containers (MOSAIC) program.

(ii) An analysis of scalability, adaptability, and agility, contrasting the unmanned systems model of Blue Water Instrumentation with the logistics and crewing demands of containerized systems.

(iii) A cost-per-event and cost-per-stream analysis for each approach, accounting for platform, personnel, logistics, and sustainment costs.

(B) An evaluation of whether distributed, unmanned platforms can meet or exceed the data collection requirements for the most stressing test scenarios, including hypersonic vehicle tracking, exoatmospheric intercepts, and terminal area data collection.

(C) A time-phased investment and transition strategy for making an unmanned architecture the primary approach for future maritime test instrumentation investments. The strategy shall identify specific legacy or containerized programs to be divested or consolidated to fund this transition.

The report described in paragraph (1) shall be in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

In this section, the term containerized instrumentation program means any program of the Test Resource Management Center that primarily relies on packaging test and evaluation instrumentation in roll-on and roll-off shipping containers for deployment on manned vessels, including—

(1) the Broad Ocean Area Data Collection System (BOADCS), which includes the Maritime Networked Telemetry Asset (MaNTA) system; and

(2) the Mobile Open-System Architecture Instrumentation Containers (MOSAIC) program.

Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for Operation and Maintenance, Defense-wide, and available to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering for travel purposes, not more than 90 percent may be obligated or expended until the Directed Energy Working Group provides to the congressional defense committees a briefing as required by section 219(d)(6) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 10 U.S.C. 4205 note).

Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for Integrated Combat Systems of the Department of the Navy, not more than 75 percent may be obligated or expended until the date on which the Secretary of the Navy submits to the congressional defense committees the certification required by subsection (c).

The Secretary of the Navy shall install and demonstrate, aboard one or more destroyers, an operational prototype of the warfighting data ecosystem that includes—

(1) a shipboard artificial intelligence data engine and sensor-integration layer that provides standardized application programming interfaces to shipboard sensors and enables cross-modal data fusion and artificial intelligence-enabled detection and classification applications;

(2) a common shipboard graphics processing unit-centric compute and software platform that integrates data workflows across combat systems, command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence systems, and hull, mechanical, and electrical systems; and

(3) a commercially derived development and test pipeline, including software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop capabilities, that automate integration, verification, certification, and deployment of shipboard software on representative hardware.

After completion of the installation and demonstration required by subsection (b), the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a certification that the Secretary has installed and demonstrated the operational prototype of the warfighting data ecosystem as required by subsection (b).

Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for operations and maintenance, Defense-wide, and available for travel expenses for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, not more than 85 percent may be obligated or expended until the date on which the Secretary of Defense provides each of the following to the congressional defense committees:

(1) The strategy and plan required by section 236(e) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 10 U.S.C. 4001 note).

(2) The report on Gaming, exercising, modeling, and simulation to support great power competition requested in Senate report 117–130 accompanying the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263).

Chapter 305 of title 10, United States Code is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

The Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with such other government organizations as the Secretary considers appropriate, establish a program to work with institutions of higher education that perform fundamental basic research activities—

(1) to support protection of intellectual property, controlled information, key personnel, and information about critical technologies relevant to national security;

(2) to limit undue influence, including through foreign talent programs, by countries to exploit United States technology within the Department of Defense research, science and technology, and innovation enterprise;

(3) to support efforts toward development of domestic talent in relevant scientific and engineering fields; and

(4) to prepare United States students studying abroad through the National Security Education Program of the Department or other similar undergraduate or post-graduate programs to recognize and protect themselves against recruitment or exploitation efforts by agents of a foreign power (as defined in section 101 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801)).

The program required by subsection (a) shall be developed and executed to the maximum extent practicable with institutions of higher education and other educational and research organizations conducting fundamental basic research for the Department of Defense, and aligned to the maximum extent practicable with similar efforts across the Federal Government.

In selecting institutions of higher education under this subsection, the Secretary shall prioritize selection of institutions of higher education that the Secretary determines demonstrate a record of excellence in industrial security in academia and in research and development.

The program required by subsection (a) shall include development of the following:

(1) Information exchange fora and information repositories to enable awareness of security threats and influence operations being executed against the United States research, technology, and innovation enterprise, including support coordinating relevant elements of the Department of Defense and the rest of the Federal Government.

(2) Training and other support for institutions of higher education to promote security and limit undue influence on institutions and personnel, including financial support for execution for such activities.

(3) The capacity of government and academic institutions and institutions of higher education to assess whether individuals affiliated with Department of Defense programs have participated in or are currently participating in foreign talent programs or expert recruitment programs, or are otherwise being targeted for exploitation by an agent of a foreign power.

(4) Opportunities to collaborate with defense researchers and research organizations in secure facilities to promote protection of critical information and strengthen defense against agents of foreign powers.

(5) Regulations and procedures—

(A) for government and academic organizations and personnel to support the goals of the program; and

(B) that are consistent with policies that protect open and scientific exchange in fundamental research and coordinated to the maximum extent practicable with similar efforts across the Federal Government.

(6) Policies to limit or prohibit funding provided by the Department of Defense for institutions of higher education or individual researchers who knowingly violate regulations developed under the program, including regulations relating to foreign talent programs.

(7) Policies to limit or prohibit funding provided by the Department of Defense for institutions of higher education or individual researchers who knowingly conduct joint research activities or projects, co-author scholarly publications, technical reports, or research outputs, contract, or make other financial arrangements with entities or individuals employed by such entities in the list described in paragraph (9), which policies shall include—

(A) use of such list as part of a risk assessment decision matrix during proposal evaluations, including the development of a question for proposers or broad area announcements that require proposers to disclose any joint research activities or projects, co-authored scholarly publications, technical reports, research outputs, or contractual or financial connections with such entities or individuals employed by such entities;

(B) a requirement that the Department shall notify a proposer of suspected noncompliance with a policy issued under this paragraph and provide not less than 30 days to take actions to remedy such noncompliance;

(C) the establishment of an appeals procedure under which a proposer may appeal a negative decision on a proposal if the decision is based on a determination informed by such list;

(D) a requirement that each awardee of funding provided by the Department shall disclose to the Department any joint research activities or projects, co-authored scholarly publications, technical reports, research outputs, contract, or financial arrangement made with such an entity or individual employed by such entity during the period of the award; and

(E) a requirement that each awardee of funding provided by the Department shall provide to the Department an annual certification of compliance with policies promulgated pursuant to this paragraph.

(8) Initiatives to support the transition of the results of academic institution research programs into defense capabilities.

(A) A list of entities of the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, and other countries that—

(i) have a history of improper technology transfer, intellectual property theft, or cyber or human espionage;

(ii) operate under the direction of the armed forces or intelligence agency of the applicable country;

(iii) are known—

(I) to recruit foreign individuals for the purpose of transferring knowledge to advance military or intelligence efforts of a foreign government; or

(II) to provide misleading information or otherwise attempt to conceal the connections of an individual or institution to a defense or an intelligence agency of the applicable country;

(iv) pose a serious risk of improper technology transfer of data, technology, or research that is not published or publicly available; or

(v) are on any of the following lists:

(I) Any of the following lists maintained by the Bureau of Industry and Security of th Department of Commerce:

(aa) The Entity List set forth in Supplement No. 4 to part 744 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations.

(bb) The Universal List set forth in Supplement No. 6 of part 744 of that title.

(cc) The Military-End User List set forth in Supplement No. 7 to part 744 of that title.

(dd) The Denied Persons List maintained pursuant to section 764.3(a)(2) of that title.

(II) The list of specially designed nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asserts Control of the Department of the Treasury (commonly referred to as the SDN list).

(III) The list of Chinese military companies operating in the United States required by 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).

(IV) The lists of debarred parties maintained by the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls of the Department of State pursuant to section 38(g)(4)of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778(g))(4).

(V) The list of telecommunications companies of the People’s Republic of China described in section 889(f)(3) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorizations Act of 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 41 U.S.C. 3901 note prec.).

(VI) The list of semiconductor companies of the People’s Republic of China described in section 5949(i)(3) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 41 U.S.C. 4713 note).

(VII) The list of biotechnology companies of concern maintained under section 851(f) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 41 U.S.C. 3901 note prec.).

(VIII) The list of entities that produce or provide communications equipment or service on the list published by the Federal Communications Commission under section 2(a) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(a)).

(IX) A list maintained under clause (i), (ii), (iv), or (v) of section 2(d)(2)(B) of the Act entitled An Act to ensure that the goods made with forced labor in Xinjiang Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China do not enter the United States market, and for other purposes (Public Law 117–18; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note), approved December 23, 2021 (commonly referred to as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act).

(B) The list described in subparagraph (A) shall be developed and continuously updated in consultation with the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce, the Director of National Intelligence, United States institutions of higher education that conduct significant Department of Defense research or engineering activities, and other appropriate individuals and organizations.

(A) A list, developed and continuously updated in consultation with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine and such Government agencies as the Secretary considers appropriate, of foreign talent programs that the Secretary determines pose a threat to the national security interests of the United States.

(B) In developing and updating such list, the Secretary shall consider—

(i) the extent to which a foreign talent program or an agent of a foreign power—

(I) poses a threat to research funded by the Department of Defense; and

(II) engages in, or facilitates, cyber attacks, theft, espionage, attempts to gain ownership of or influence over companies, or otherwise interferes in the affairs of the United States; and

(ii) any other factor the Secretary considers appropriate.

(11) Development of measures of effectiveness and performance to assess and track progress of the Department of Defense across the program, which measures shall include—

(A) the evaluation of currently available data to support the assessment of such measures, including the identification of areas in which gaps exist that may require collection of completely new data, or modifications to existing data sets;

(B) current means and methods for the collection of data in an automated manner, including the identification of areas in which gaps exist that may require new means for data collection or visualization of such data; and

(C) the development of an analysis and assessment methodology framework to make tradeoffs between the measures developed under this paragraph and other metrics related to assessing undue foreign influence on the Department of Defense research enterprise, such as commercial due diligence, beneficial ownership, and foreign ownership, control, and influence.

Not later than March 30, 2025, and each March 30 thereafter until December 31, 2040—

(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; 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.

(A) Not later than October 1, 2020, for the purpose of maintaining appropriate security controls over research activities, technical information, and intellectual property, the Secretary shall, in conjunction with such public and private entities as the Secretary considers appropriate, establish streamlined procedures to collect appropriate information relating to individuals, including United States citizens and foreign nationals, who participate in defense research and development activities.

(B) With respect to fundamental research programs, the academic liaison designated under subsection (h) shall establish policies and procedures to collect, consistent with the best practices of Government agencies that fund academic research, appropriate information relating to individuals who participate in fundamental research programs.

The procedures required by paragraph (1) shall include procedures to protect such information from release, consistent with applicable regulations.

The procedures required by paragraph (1) may include procedures developed, in coordination with such public and private entities as the Secretary considers appropriate, to report such information to existing Government information systems and repositories.

Not later than March 30, 2027, and not later than March 30 of each year thereafter until December 31, 2040, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the activities carried out under the program required by subsection (a), the periodic reviews conducted pursuant to subsection (d), and the waivers issued under section 4147 of this title.

Each report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(A) A description of the activities conducted and the progress made under the program.

(B) With respect to the periodic reviews conducted pursuant to subsection (d), 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 (d)(1).

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

(iv) A description of the processes by which the heads of the components described in paragraph (1) of subsection (d) 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 (d), including a list of grants that were identified as having not been awarded in compliance with applicable policies of the Department of Defense.

(C) The findings of the Secretary with respect to the program.

(D) Such recommendations as the Secretary may have for legislative or administrative action relating to the matters described in subsection (a), including actions relating to foreign talent programs.

(E) Identification and discussion of the gaps in legal authorities that need to be improve to enhance the security of research institutions of higher education performing defense research.

(F) A description of the actions taken by such institutions to comply with such best practices and guidelines as may be established by under the program.

(G) A description of the status of the measures of effectiveness and performance described in subsection (c)(11) for the period covered by such report, including an analytical assessment of the impact of such measures on the goals of the program.

(H) With respect to waivers described in paragraph (1), the following:

(i) The terms and contents of any waivers issued under section 4147 of this title in the period covered by the report;

(ii) any trends in—

(I) the number of waivers issued under such section over time; and

(II) the types of contracts to which such waivers pertain; and

(iii) the processes used by the Secretary to verify that covered institutions (as defined in such section) are in compliance with the requirements of such section.

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

Not later than January 1, 2021, and annually thereafter until December 31, 2032, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees the most recently updated lists described in paragraphs (9) and (10) of subsection (c).

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

Each list submitted under paragraph (1) shall be published on a publicly accessible website of the Department of Defense in a searchable format.

The Secretary may submit and publish an updated list described in paragraph (1) more frequently than required by that paragraph, as the Secretary considers necessary.

The Secretary shall, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, designate an academic liaison with principal responsibility for working with the academic and research communities to protect Department-sponsored academic research of concern from undue foreign influence and threats.

The Secretary shall designate an individual under paragraph (1) who is an official of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering with experience—

(A) working in security, counterintelligence, or academic research environments; and

(B) with complex managerial tasks.

The duties of the academic liaison designated under paragraph (1) shall be as follows:

(A) To serve as the liaison of the Department with the academic and research communities.

(B) To execute initiatives of the Department relating to the protection of Department-sponsored academic research of concern from undue foreign influence and threats, including the program required by subsection (a).

(C) To conduct outreach and education activities for the academic and research communities on undue foreign influence and threats to Department-sponsored academic research of concern.

(D) To coordinate and align academic security policies with Department component agencies, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the intelligence community, and such Federal agencies as the Secretary considers appropriate.

(E) To the extent practicable, to coordinate with the intelligence community to share, not less frequently than annually, with the academic and research communities unclassified information, including counterintelligence information, on threats from undue foreign influence.

(F) Any other related responsibility, as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

Each institution of higher education that receives Department of Defense funding and more than $50,000,000 in total Federal research funding annually shall designate at least one senior official to serve as the institution’s Chief Research Security Officer.

Each Chief Research Security Officer designated under (h) shall—

(A) be a Vice President for Research, Chief Research Officer, or another designated senior official at the institution with responsibility for research administration, compliance, or institutional security, as determined appropriate by the institution; and

(B) serve as the principal institutional officer and primary point of contact with the Department of Defense, and other appropriate Federal authorities on matters relating to research security associated with Department of Defense–funded research, including undue foreign influence, cybersecurity pertaining to such research, insider risk, and related threats.

(A) The Chief Research Security Officer shall be eligible for sponsorship for an appropriate personnel security clearance for purposes of Department of Defense–funded research security, as determined by the Secretary of Defense.

(B) The Secretary of Defense, acting through the appropriate Department of Defense security and counterintelligence authorities, and in coordination with other appropriate Federal intelligence agencies, shall establish processes—

(i) to facilitate the sponsorship, adjudication, and issuance of appropriate personnel security clearances for Chief Research Security Officers, including through Department of Defense security clearance processes;

(ii) to provide threat-related training, briefings, and information, including classified briefings as appropriate, related to risks to Department of Defense-funded research; and

(iii) to ensure that information shared is relevant, timely, and provided solely for defensive, awareness, and protective purposes.

(A) Information shared pursuant to this section shall be limited to information necessary to protect Department of Defense–funded research and associated research activities.

(B) Nothing in this section shall be construed—

(i) to require institutions of higher education to conduct classified research;

(ii) to reclassify or otherwise restrict fundamental research;

(iii) to impose new export control, classification, or security requirements on research that is otherwise unrestricted under applicable law or policy; or

(iv) to infringe upon academic freedom, freedom of expression, or other lawful academic activities.

The requirements of this section shall be implemented consistent with Department of Defense research security policies and programs, including National Security Presidential Memorandum–33 (relating to supported research and development national policy), issued January 2021, applicable Department of Defense directives and instructions, and guidance issued by the Office of Science and Technology Policy, as relevant to Department of Defense-funded research.

In this section:

(1) The term agent of a foreign power has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801).

(2) The term institution of higher education has the meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).

(3) The term intelligence community has the meaning given such term in section 3 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003).

Beginning on January 1, 2028, a covered institution may not enter into a contract with a covered nation or a foreign entity of concern.

Subject to the provisions of this subsection and subsection (c), the Secretary of Defense may, pursuant to a request submitted under paragraph (2) of this subsection, issue a waiver of the prohibition set forth in subsection (a).

(i) A covered institution that desires to enter into a contract with a foreign entity of concern or a covered nation may submit to the Secretary of Defense, not later than 120 days before the institution enters into such a contract, a request to waive the prohibition set forth in subsection (a) with respect to such contract.

(ii) A waiver request submitted by a covered institution under clause (i) shall include—

(I) the complete and unredacted text of the proposed contract for which the waiver is being requested, and if such original contract is not in English, a translated copy of the text into English (in a manner that complies with subsection (e)); and

(II) a statement that—

(aa) is signed by the President or compliance officer of the institution designated in accordance with subsection (f); and

(bb) includes information that demonstrates that such contract is for the benefit of the institution’s mission and students and will promote the security, stability, and economic vitality of the United States.

(i) A covered institution that has entered into a contract pursuant to a waiver issued under this section, the term of which is longer than the 1-year waiver period and the terms and conditions of which remain the same as the proposed contract submitted as part of the request for such waiver, may submit, not later than 120 days before the expiration of such waiver period, a request for a renewal of such waiver for the remainder of the contract term, but not to exceed a 4-year period (which shall include any information requested by the Secretary).

(ii) If a covered institution fails to submit a request under clause (i) or is not granted a renewal under such clause, such institution shall terminate such contract on the last day of the original 1-year waiver period.

The Secretary of Defense—

(A) not later than 60 days before a covered institution enters into a contract pursuant to a waiver request under paragraph (2)(A), or before a contract described in paragraph (2)(B)(i) is renewed pursuant to a renewal request under such paragraph, shall notify the covered institution—

(i) if the waiver or renewal will be issued by the Secretary; and

(ii) in a case in which the waiver or renewal will be issued, the date on which the 1-year waiver period starts;

(B) may only issue a waiver under this subsection to a covered institution if the Secretary of Defense determines that the contract for which the waiver is being requested will both—

(i) benefit the institution’s mission and students; and

(ii) promote the security, stability, and economic vitality of the United States; and

(C) shall, when making the determination described in subparagraph (B)(ii), base such determination on the following factors:

(i) The reasons for which the foreign entity of concern or covered nation has been so designated, and why those reasons do not apply to the contract for which waiver is being sought.

(ii) The foreign entity of concern or covered nation’s history of involvement with covered institutions.

(iii) The degree to which such a contract could provide access to information or technology which could materially benefit the national security of a covered nation or harm the national security of the United States.

Not later than 15 calendar days prior to issuing a waiver under this subsection, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives written notice of the intent of the Secretary to issue such waiver together with a justification for such waiver.

A waiver issued under this subsection to a covered institution with respect to a contract shall only—

(A) waive the prohibition under subsection (a) for a 1-year period, or for the remainder of the term of the contract, but not to exceed 4 years; and

(B) apply to the terms and conditions of the proposed contract submitted as part of the request for such waiver.

In the case of a covered institution that entered into contract with a covered nation or foreign entity of concern prior to January 1, 2028, and which contract remains in effect on such date, the Secretary shall notify the congressional defense committees within 90 days of enactment of this section.

A covered institution that has entered into a contract described in paragraph (1), the term of which is longer than the waiver period described in subparagraph (B) of such paragraph and the terms and conditions of which remain the same as the contract submitted as part of the request required under subparagraph (A) of such paragraph, may submit a request for renewal of the waiver issued under such paragraph in accordance with subsection (c)(2)(B).

In the case of a covered institution that enters into a contract with a foreign source that is not a covered nation or a foreign entity of concern but which, during the term of such contract, is redesignated as a covered nation or foreign entity of concern, such institution shall terminate such contract not later than 120 days after the Secretary notifies the covered institution of such designation or immediately requests a waiver.

Any information required to be disclosed under this section with respect to a contract that is not in English shall be translated, for purposes of such disclosure, by a person that is not an affiliated entity or agent of the covered nation or foreign entity of concern involved with such contract.

Each covered institution applying for a waiver under subsection (c), shall identify a compliance officer, who shall—

(1) be a current employee or legally authorized agent of such institution; and

(2) be responsible, on behalf of such institution, for personally certifying—

(A) compliance with the prohibition under this section; and

(B) the truth and accuracy of any information contained in such a waiver request.

In this section:

(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term contract means—

(i) any agreement or memorandum of understanding for the acquisition, by purchase, lease, or barter, of property or services by or from a covered nation or foreign entity of concern; or

(ii) any affiliation, agreement, or similar transaction with a covered nation or foreign entity of concern that involves the use or exchange of the name, likeness, time, services, or resources of a covered institution.

(B) The term contract does not include—

(i) an agreement solely or primarily for the purposes of conducting a study-abroad program wherein students at covered institutions in the United States travel to a covered nation to study;

(ii) short-term, ancillary agreements such as employment contracts for visiting professorships or sponsored travel or visas of foreign nationals employed by institutions of higher education, excluding those affiliated with foreign entities of concern;

(iii) an arms-length agreement for the acquisition by purchase, lease, or barter of property or services for the covered institution from a foreign entity of concern; or

(iv) an agreement pertaining to a pre-existing campus or other satellite facility of a covered institution located in a covered nation or a joint facility of a covered institution and another entity located in a covered nation, including assignment or license of a trademark or copyright related to the name, likeness, mascot or similar image, unless that facility could provide access to information or technology which could materially benefit the national security of a covered nation or harm the national security of the United States.

(2) The term covered institution means an institution of higher education that conducts research funded by the Department of Defense.

(3) The term covered nation has the meaning given that term in section 4872(d) of this title.

(4) The term foreign entity of concern means any person or entity on any of the following lists:

(A) Any of the following lists maintained by the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce:

(i) The Entity List set forth in Supplement No. 4 to part 744 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations.

(ii) The Unverified List set forth in Supplement No. 6 part 744 of that title.

(iii) The Military End-User List set forth in Supplement No. 7 to part 744 of that title.

(iv) The Denied Persons List maintained pursuant to section 764.3(a)(2) of that title.

(B) The list of specifically designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of Treasury (commonly referred to as the SDN list).

(C) The list of Chinese military companies operating in the United States required by 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).

(D) The lists of debarred parties maintained by the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls of the Department of State pursuant to section 38(g)(4)of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778(g)(4)).

(E) The list of telecommunications companies of the People’s Republic of China described in section 889(f)(3) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorizations Act of 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 41 U.S.C. 3901 note prec.).

(F) The list of semiconductor companies of the People’s Republic of China described in section 5949(i)(3) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year2023 (Public Law 117–263; 41 U.S.C. 4713 note).

(G) The list of biotechnology companies of concern maintained under section 851(f) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 41 U.S.C. 3901 note prec.).

(H) The list of entities that produce or provide communications equipment or service on the list published by the Federal Communications Commission under section 2(a) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(a)).

(I) A list maintained under clause (i), (ii), (iv), or (v) of section 2(d)(2)(B) of the Act entitled An Act to ensure that the goods made with forced labor in Xinjiang Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China d o not enter the United States market, and for other purposes, approved December 23, 2021 (Public Law 117–18; 22 U.S.C. 6901 note) (commonly referred to as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act).

(5) 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).

The following sections are hereby repealed:

(1) Section 1277 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91; 50 U.S.C. 1914).

(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).

Section 1062(b)(2) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 2241 note) is amended by striking subsection (g) of section 1286 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (10 U.S.C. 2358 note), as amended by section 1299C of this Act, and inserting section 4146(h) of title 10, United States Code,.

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

The Secretary of Defense shall, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, establish and maintain a Science, Technology, and Innovation Board (in this section referred to as the Board) for the purposes set forth in subsection (b).

The purpose of the Board is to advise, in response to taskings, the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the other Under Secretaries of the Department of Defense on matters relating to science, technology, research, engineering, manufacturing, acquisition process, and other matters that are of special interest to the Department of Defense.

The Board shall—

(A) be concerned with the pressing and complex technology problems facing the Department of Defense in such areas as research, engineering, and manufacturing; and

(B) ensure the identification of new technologies and new applications of technology in those areas to strengthen national security.

The Board shall maintain a public charter describing its functions, which shall be updated periodically as the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering considers necessary.

The Board shall report to the Secretary of Defense through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering shall provide the Board with an Executive Director and the necessary support staff to manage the day-to-day operations of the Board and its ad hoc task forces.

The Board shall have a designated Federal officer to ensure compliance of the Board with all Department of Defense policies and procedures and relevant Federal regulations.

The Board may accept detailees from the military departments or components of the Department of Defense to serve as Armed Forces liaisons to the Board and support Board activities.

The Board shall be composed of not more than 50 members as full board members, who shall be eminent authorities in the fields of science, technology, innovation, and other matters germane to scientific, technological, and innovation topics of special interest to the Department of Defense.

(A) The appointment of Board members shall be approved by the Department of Defense Appointing Authority for a term of service of one to four years, with annual renewals, in accordance with Department of Defense policy and procedures.

(B) No member, unless approved by the Department of Defense Appointing Authority, may serve more than two consecutive terms of service on the Board, including its subcommittees, unless a waiver is approved by the Under Secretary.

The Department of Defense Appointing Authority shall appoint the leadership of the Board from among the members of the Board, in accordance with Department of Defense policy and procedures, for a term of service of one to two years, with annual renewal, which shall not exceed the term of a member's appointment to the Board.

Except for reimbursement for official Board-related travel and per diem, members of the Board members shall serve without compensation.

(A) When necessary and consistent with the Board’s mission, the Board may establish subcommittees, task forces, panels, or working groups (hereafter referred to as subcommittees) to support Board activities.

(B) The establishment of subcommittees shall be based upon a written determination, which shall include terms of reference, by the Department of Defense Appointing Authority or the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, as the Board’s sponsor.

All subcommittees operate in accordance with chapter 10 of title 5 (commonly known as the Federal Advisory Committee Act), governing Federal statutes and regulations, and Department of Defense policy and procedures.

(A) A subcommittee shall not work independently of the Board and shall report all of its recommendations and advice solely to the Board for its thorough deliberation and discussion at a properly noticed and open Board meeting, unless the meeting must be closed in accordance with one or more of the exemptions found in section 552b of title 5.

(B) A subcommittee has no authority to make decisions and recommendations, orally or in writing, on behalf of the Board.

Individual appointments to serve on subcommittees, which are separate and distinct from appointments to the Board itself, shall be approved by the Department of Defense Appointing Authority for a term of service of one to four years, with annual renewals, in accordance with Department of Defense policy and procedures.

The Board shall meet not less frequently than four times each year on a quarterly basis to update the Secretary and senior leadership on the activities of the Board.

The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, shall explore, establish, and carry out efforts to increase the inventory of air defense interceptors by pursuing each of the following pathways:

(1) Cost-reduction initiatives for existing missile systems, including value engineering, design-for-manufacturability improvements, and supply-chain efficiencies.

(2) Delivery of technical data packages on a contract-manufacturing basis to additional manufacturers, including manufacturers in the commercial sector, consistent with applicable technical data rights or agreements with the technical data owners.

(3) Sourcing of interceptors from allies and partners and the exploration of opportunities to establish or expand domestic production lines for such interceptors, including through co-production, licensed manufacturing, or foreign military sales arrangements.

(4) Performance of market research across industry and the Department of Defense science and technology reinvention laboratories to identify critical components for air defense interceptors and to support the rapid integration, testing, and qualification of a new or modified interceptor design.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report describing—

(1) the specific activities conducted under each of the pathways required by subsection (a);

(2) for each pathway, the potential improvements in unit cost, schedule, and production volume that could be achieved, as compared to any identified impacts on the performance, reliability, or other capabilities of the affected missile systems; and

(3) the Secretary’s recommended path or paths forward, including any legislative or budgetary proposals necessary to implement or expand successful efforts.

Section 4092(b)(1)(B) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking the semicolon and inserting, of which not more than 40 of the 140 positions may be occupied concurrently by 2 individuals, for a period not to exceed 90 days, for the purposes of accommodating recruitment cycles and managing personnel rotations, and any such concurrent occupancy shall be counted as a single position against the total number of positions set forth in this subparagraph;.

Section 238(a) of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159), as amended by section 215 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60), is amended by striking or fiscal year 2026 and inserting, fiscal year 2026, or fiscal year 2027.

Not later than June 15, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, develop a framework for assessing the development or acquisition of future quantum computing systems, algorithms, or hybrid-quantum computing services informed by the practices developed under the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative.

In developing the framework required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall leverage the work products, insights, and lessons learned from the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative to help programs, technical developers, or source selection evaluators assess the following:

(1) The ability of a system, algorithm, or service to achieve mission-relevant capability for the Department of Defense.

(2) Risks and the sufficiency of risk mitigation steps in developing or acquiring a relevant system, algorithm, or service.

(3) Timelines, technical enabling infrastructure, user requirements, doctrinal or employment conceptual needs, and training needs associated with the development or acquisition of a system, algorithm, or service.

Not later than December 1, 2027, the Secretary shall issue policy guidance to the Department regarding the use of the assessment framework required under subsection (a).

Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a determination confirming whether the Additive Manufacturing for Rocket Propellant systems should be formally established as a program of record.

Not later than April 15, 2027, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a briefing on Army efforts relating to Additive Manufacturing for Rocket Propellant systems, including its procurement funding, and integration strategies.

Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the implications of emerging technologies to support Department of Defense cognitive warfare.

The report submitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) An identification and assessment of emerging technologies that have current or near-term application to cognitive warfare and operations in the information environment of the Department of Defense, including artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, synthetic media generation, analytical tools, including narrative intelligence, and neuroscience-based influence technologies.

(2) An assessment of how adversaries of the United States, including China and Russia, are researching, developing, or employing such technologies in support of cognitive warfare objectives.

(3) An assessment of how allies and partners of the United States, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, are researching, developing, or employing such technologies in support of cognitive warfare objectives.

(4) An assessment of opportunities for the Department of Defense to leverage the defense industrial base, academic research institutions, and allied and partner countries in accelerating the development and fielding of relevant cognitive warfare technologies, including recommendations for public-private partnership mechanisms and international cooperation agreements.

(5) Such other matters as the Secretary considers appropriate.

The Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into an agreement with an organization the Secretary considers qualified, to perform the services covered by this section.

The Secretary shall seek to enter into the agreement described in paragraph (1) such that the services covered by this section are completed before the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Under an agreement between the Secretary and an organization under subsection (a), the organization shall carry out a comprehensive study analyzing current and future electronics requirements for defense systems, with particular emphasis on electronic warfare capabilities and semiconductor packaging solutions.

The study carried out under subsection (b) shall include the following:

An assessment that includes—

(A) a system-level analysis of electronics needs and core functions across existing defense platforms;

(B) documentation of current operational requirements, including—

(i) electronic warfare systems’ parallel target acquisition capabilities;

(ii) threat differentiation and classification requirements; and

(iii) counter-electronic warfare response timeframes and performance specifications;

(C) a catalog and categorization of existing technology implementations by type and application; and

(D) an assessment of current semiconductor packaging functions and their relationship to system performance.

An analysis that includes engagement with semiconductor industry experts, including Intel Corporation and other leading manufacturers—

(A) to map system-level requirements to semiconductor-level specifications;

(B) to identify current technology gaps and limitations; and

(C) to analyze existing supply chain dependencies and vulnerabilities.

Development of a definition of future requirements that includes—

(A) a survey of stakeholders to identify desired future capabilities and performance targets;

(B) next-generation electronics requirements across multiple domains;

(C) scalability requirements and capability roadmaps; and

(D) documentation of emerging technology scenarios.

Development of a framework that includes—

(A) recommendations for standardized, modular electronics building blocks;

(B) interface specifications to enable interoperable capabilities;

(C) a framework for aggregate demand forecasting;

(D) strategies for mitigating diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages; and

(E) upgrade pathways that minimize system-wide impacts.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the findings of the organization with whom the Secretary entered into a contract under subsection (a) with regards to the study carried out under subsection (b).

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

(A) The findings described in paragraph (1).

(B) An implementation roadmap with timeline and resource requirements.

(C) Risk assessment and mitigation strategies.

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

Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 for the use of the Armed Forces and other activities and agencies of the Department of Defense for expenses, not otherwise provided for, for operation and maintenance, as specified in the funding table in section 4301.

Section 319 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)(1), by striking The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment and inserting The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs; and

(2) in subsection (c), by striking The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs and inserting The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment.

The Secretary of Defense shall prioritize deployment of expeditionary solid waste disposal systems to contingency locations where open air burn pits remain in use, including Ar Riyan (Owen), Yemen, and other locations where members of the Armed Forces face elevated exposure risk due to the absence of feasible waste disposal alternatives.

Section 2911 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

The Secretary of Defense may procure sustainable aviation fuel for operational or training purposes at a cost that exceeds the cost of conventional petroleum-based aviation fuel.

Section 2911(e) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by redesignating paragraphs (9) through (13) as paragraphs (10) through (14), respectively; and

(2) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following new paragraph (9):

(9) The value of establishing operational redundancy in both the primary procurement sourcing of energy and the specific physical categories of energy utilized to support critical mission infrastructure, ensuring the continuous availability of independent baseload generation capacities in the event of commercial or regional utility disruption.

The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that any enhanced use lease executed, extended, or renewed under section 2667 and 2662 of title 10, United States Code, for purposes of infrastructure, facility modernization, or energy production of the Department of Defense shall include a comprehensive, formalized assessment of localized grid impacts and infrastructure power demands.

The assessment required under subsection (a) shall explicitly document and discuss the following:

(1) The projected net effects of the proposed enhanced use lease on the stability, capacity, and reliability of the surrounding local commercial electric grid, including potential impacts on voltage regulation, transmission congestion, and utility-scale baseline capacity.

(2) The total peak and baseline electrical power required to fully sustain and operate all new infrastructure, facilities, or capabilities constructed on the leased property under the enhanced use lease.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Commander of the United States Transportation Command, the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency, and the Secretary of each military department, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a comprehensive master plan to expand, harden, and optimize bulk storage capacity at strategic locations worldwide.

The plan required under paragraph (1) shall include the following elements:

(A) The establishment of theater-specific minimum operational storage capacity floors for all types of fuel used by the Department of Defense, including any high-priority strategic nodes capable of sustaining critical mission essential tasks for a minimum period of time determined by the Department without external replenishment.

(B) A program and engineering assessment to construct hardened, semi-buried, underground, distributed, or geologic storage infrastructure and modular fueling nodes designed to withstand kinetic, cyber, and environmental threats.

(C) A strategy to transition from single, large-scale vulnerable bulk fuel hubs to decentralized and redundant storage networks within individual installation footprints to mitigate single points of failure.

Upon completion of the plan required under subsection (a), and not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit the master plan to the congressional defense committees.

The plan submitted under paragraph (1) and any accompanying project list shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex to protect specific operational readiness thresholds and vulnerability profiles of designated strategic locations.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall revise the policy of the Department of Defense governing the use of open-air burn pits consistent with the findings and recommendations contained in the report by the Inspector General of the Department of Defense dated July 11, 2024, and entitled Management Advisory: Non-DoD Solid Waste Burning At or Near DoD-Occupied Sites (DODIG–2024–107).

Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Commander of the United States Transportation Command and the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a comprehensive assessment of the current status, sourcing, and security of all forms of energy supplied to installations and operational forces of the Department of Defense.

The assessment required under subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(1) A complete accounting of the geographic origin and supply chain pathways of all forms of energy, including hydrocarbons, purchased by the Department of Defense, explicitly identifying any direct or indirect reliance on foreign energy sources.

(2) An evaluation of the systemic vulnerabilities within current energy supply lines of the Department, including single points of failure and military installations reliant on single-source commercial transmission or entities backed by a foreign country.

(3) An inventory of current on-site energy storage capacities, including an assessment of whether existing capacities meet baseline operational requirements.

(4) An assessment of potential disruptions to energy supplies of the Department under various kinetic and cyber conflict scenarios.

Section 322 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 10 U.S.C. 2701 note) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)(2), by striking removal and inserting remedial;

(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d);

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

Not less frequently than semiannually, the Secretary shall provide prompt notice to regional offices of the Environmental Protection Agency, appropriate State and local authorities, restoration advisory boards established under section 2705(d) of title 10, United States Code, and the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives of updates to the dashboard under subsection (b).; and

(4) in subsection (d)(1), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by striking removal,.

The Secretary of Defense shall modify section 203.4 of title 32, Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regulations, to increase the limitation on the combined sum of purchase orders for technical assistance for public participation in defense environmental restoration activities under that section for an installation of the Department of Defense to a combined sum of purchase orders not to exceed $1,000,000 or, during any one year, the lesser of $100,000 or 1 percent of the total projected environmental restoration cost-to-complete of the installation.

The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study evaluating the cleanup and acquisition processes used by the Department of Defense as of the date of the enactment of this Act relating to remediation of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances resulting from activities of the Department of Defense.

In conducting the study under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall assess—

(1) the extent to which the Department has identified and developed requirements for remediation of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances across military installations where cleanup may be needed by the Department, including any fragmentation of requirements across military installations;

(2) the extent to which the Department has analyzed the effectiveness of acquisition strategies and contracting approaches used to procure technologies and services for the remediation of such substances;

(3) whether the cleanup and acquisition strategies of the Department account for the current state of remediation technologies for such substances;

(4) whether the Department reviews the effectiveness of technologies previously employed at installations of the Department and considers the findings from such reviews when approaching future remediation efforts; and

(5) any risks, gaps, or inefficiencies in the approach taken by the Department to remediate such substances, and any opportunities to improve speed, affordability, and outcomes.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall brief the congressional defense committees on the study conducted under subsection (a), with a report to follow at a mutually agreed upon time.

To the extent that it is consistent with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and any other applicable law, and except as provided in paragraph (2), not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall initiate interim remedial actions with respect to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances at not fewer than 50 covered sites.

The Secretary may initiate interim remedial actions with respect to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances at fewer than 50 covered sites only if the Secretary cannot find enough covered sites meeting the factor specified under section 300.415(b)(2)(i) of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regulations.

If the Secretary utilizes the exception under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report verifying that the Secretary assessed each covered site and was unable to find a sufficient number of covered sites meeting the factor specified in such subparagraph.

The Secretary shall ensure the timely completion of interim remedial actions at installations of the Department of Defense that are ongoing as of the date of the enactment of this Act.

In this section, the term covered site —

(1) means, of the 723 installations of the Department assessed for use or potential use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances set forth in the publication of the Department dated March 31, 2025, the installations at which the estimated remedial investigation or feasibility study end date is delayed as compared to the date specified for such site in the similar publication of the Department dated December 2024; and

(2) shall be interpreted consistent with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and any other applicable law.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, each Secretary concerned shall submit to the congressional defense committees and the Comptroller General of the United States a plan to address the following recommendations made by the Comptroller General:

(A) Recommendations 16 through 20 in the report entitled Weapon Systems Maintenance: DOD Needs Enhanced Assessments and Exercises to Prepare for an Indo-Pacific Conflict (GAO–26–107710C).

(B) Recommendations 7 through 11 in the report entitled Fuel Supply: DOD Is Not Prepared for a Contested Environment in the Indo-Pacific (GAO–25–107216C).

(C) Recommendations 7 and 8 in the report entitled Force Structure: Army and Marine Corps Face Challenges Developing New Multi-Domain Units (GAO–24–106266C).

(D) Recommendations 1 and 2 in the report entitled Military Readiness: Actions Needed to Ensure the Reserve Component Will Be Ready to Rapidly Respond to a Potential Conflict (GAO–26–107579C).

Each plan under paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to each recommendation described in such paragraph that the Secretary concerned has implemented or intends to implement—

(A) a summary of actions that have been taken or will be taken to implement the recommendation; and

(B) a schedule, with specific milestones, for completing implementation of the recommendation.

Each plan under paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(A) An identification of any recommendation described in such paragraph that the Secretary concerned does not intend to implement.

(B) A discussion of the reasons not to implement each such recommendation.

(C) A description of alternative actions taken or intended to be taken to address the matters identified by the Comptroller General.

Not later than one year after submission by the Secretary concerned of the plan under subsection (a), the Secretary concerned shall carry out activities to implement the plan and provide a report to the congressional defense committees and the Comptroller General of the United States on the following:

(1) The specific maintenance and repair objectives developed for exercises and wargames in the Indo-Pacific region.

(2) Guidance on incorporating fuel storage and delivery missions into live exercises.

(3) With respect to the Army and the Marine Corps, the specific sustainment and transportation objectives in exercises for multi-domain units of the Army and the Marine Corps in the Indo-Pacific region.

(4) With respect to the Army and the Air Force, the specific realistic and accurate assessments conducted to evaluate the ability of relevant reserve component units of the Army and the Air Force to build the required readiness to meet contingency response missions.

In this section, the term Secretary concerned means—

(1) the Secretary of Defense, with respect to actions taken by the United States Indo-Pacific Command;

(2) the Secretary of the Army, with respect to actions taken by the Army;

(3) the Secretary of the Air Force, with respect to actions taken by the Air Force; and

(4) the Secretary of the Navy, with respect to actions taken by the Navy and the Marine Corps.

The Secretary of the Army, in coordination with the heads of relevant organizations of the Department of Defense, shall develop a plan for integrating unmanned aerial systems into the Installation Physical Security Program to expand physical security monitoring capabilities for installations and facilities of the Department of the Army within the United States.

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

(1) A proposal for the development and implementation of a cost-effective, scalable solution to physical security of installations of the Department of the Army that employs unmanned aerial systems to identify and monitor potential threats to such installations.

(2) An identification of one installation to potentially host the initial development of the integration required under such subsection and two locations for additional activities related to such integration, including the criteria used to determine proposed locations, which shall—

(A) serve as potential demonstration locations for installation defense architecture that utilizes autonomous threat detection and small unmanned aerial system deployment for purposes of persistent surveillance; and

(B) be chosen based on geographical diversity and the strategic importance of such installation and locations to the overall security infrastructure of the Army.

(3) A comprehensive breakdown of the full costs of the integration required under such subsection, including—

(A) initial capital expenditure for system implementation;

(B) the cost of deploying unmanned aerial systems, sensors, and other related infrastructure at all organic industrial base sites operated by the Department of the Army in 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 proliferation of small unmanned aerial systems and other sensors for installation security purposes across the installation footprint of the Army.

(4) An assessment of the viability of funding and sustaining the integration required under such subsection 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 security infrastructure budgets of the Army, including potential impact on force structure or equipment procurement costs;

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

(C) identification of technological or policy challenges or barriers to implementing small unmanned aerial system-based persistent monitoring solutions across the footprint of the Army in the United States.

(5) A list of any additional authorities, appropriations, or other resources necessary to ensure the success of the integration required under such subsection.

Not later than September 1, 2027, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a completed version of the plan developed under subsection (a).

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall establish and publish guidance regarding updated governance of the organic industrial base of the Army.

The guidance required under subsection (a) shall do the following:

(1) Clearly delineate how decisions regarding resourcing and site operations that are currently overseen by the United States Army Materiel Command and workload and acquisition requirements that are currently overseen by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology will be reconciled to ensure the efficient functioning of the organic industrial base of the Army.

(2) Clearly delineate the relationship of the organic industrial base of the Army with the Army Sustainment Command and the Joint Energetics Transition Office.

(3) Establish, maintain, and disseminate, not less frequently than annually, to all leadership responsible for sites of the organic industrial base of the Army a comprehensive plan for the type and quantity of production and repair activities that will occur at each site, which shall—

(A) account for the current and projected needs of the Army, other military departments, and foreign partners;

(B) be coordinated with other production and repair activities across the Department of Defense;

(C) fulfill the requirements of section 351 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60); and

(D) cover not less than the next three years of production or repair activities.

(4) Establish an updated resourcing model for the organic industrial base of the Army that—

(A) is focused on reducing the production costs at each site of the organic industrial base of the Army to ensure such costs are competitive with other similar facilities;

(B) describes any modifications to the Army Working Capital Fund resulting from such model; and

(C) describes any use of direct appropriations to fund overhead or other costs resulting from such model.

(5) Oversee and implement ongoing modernization efforts of the Army, including by establishing, maintaining, and disseminating a comprehensive plan that—

(A) accounts for modernization needs across all sites of the organic industrial base of the Army;

(B) includes the criteria used to allocate modernization funds across those sites; and

(C) shall be submitted to the congressional defense committees not less frequently than annually.

(6) Not later than 30 days after any decision that will decrease the workload of a site of the organic industrial base of the Army by 10 percent or more, notify the congressional defense committees of such decision, which shall include an explanation for the decrease and a plan to shift other work required by the Army to the site in order to maintain workforce capability.

In this section, the term organic industrial base of the Army means the arsenals, ammunition plants, activities, and depots of the Army.

Section 8698(a)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended, in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking the date that is one year after the date of the enactment of this section and inserting January 31, 2028.

The Secretary of Defense shall establish an acquisition and sustainment strategy for aircraft spare parts, applicable to any covered aircraft platform, to maximize competition and expand the defense industrial base supply chain for sustainment.

In carrying out the strategy established under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall—

(1) identify spare parts of any covered aircraft platform that is subject to diminishing manufacturing sources or material shortages;

(2) prioritize such parts for competitive resourcing; and

(3) incorporate lifecycle obsolescence planning into sustainment strategies for all covered aircraft platforms.

In carrying out the strategy established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall competitively source spare parts identified under subsection (b) by enabling the use of—

(1) reverse engineering;

(2) advanced manufacturing;

(3) additive manufacturing; and

(4) digital engineering and technical data package development.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for three years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes—

(1) a list of covered aircraft platforms;

(2) mission capable rates for each such platform;

(3) actions taken to expand competition and qualify additional vendors;

(4) contract obligations awarded to small business concerns pursuant to this section; and

(5) measurable changes in aircraft availability attributable to actions under this section.

In this section, the term covered aircraft platform means any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft operated by the Department of Defense with—

(1) a fleet-wide full mission capable rate of 50 percent or less during the preceding fiscal year; or

(2) a critical mission capable rate of 40 percent or less for primary mission aircraft inventory, as determined by the Secretary concerned.

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall ensure that a sufficient quantity of rotary wing assets, including air and maintenance crews, spares and support equipment, and any other mission critical personnel or material, necessary to support all planned test events, installation maintenance requirements, and personnel movement or evacuation contingencies are located on Kwajalein Atoll and available for mission support and tasking by the Army at Kwajalein Atoll and the Ronald Reagan Space and Missile Test Range, Marshall Islands.

To implement the requirements under subsection (a), the Secretary of the Army may—

(1) consistent with section 2571 of title 10, United States Code, coordinate with the Secretary of the Air Force to obtain excess UH–1N Huey light-lift utility helicopters and any associated spares and equipment from Air Force Global Strike Command as the Air Force divests those aircraft in support of its transition to the MH–139 Grey Wolf;

(2) obtain new or excess UH–72 Lakota light utility helicopters and any associated spares and equipment from the Army Aviation Center of Excellence as the Army transitions those aircraft in from the training fleet; or

(3) obtain rotary wing assets for the purposes described in subsection (a) via other means, if—

(A) such assets fulfill the capability and timeline availability requirements described in such subsection; and

(B) the Secretary of the Army provides a written certification to the congressional defense committees not later than 30 days prior to the end of the 90-day period specified in such subsection of the intent of the Secretary to pursue such other means and that such means will fulfill the requirements of such subsection.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan outlining the enduring approach of the Army to providing rotary wing assets for mission support and tasking by the Army at Kwajalein Atoll and the Ronald Reagan Space and Missile Test Range, Marshall Islands.

The plan required under paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(A) An identification of the rotary wing assets to be made available over the next 5, 10, and 15 years.

(B) An initial acquisition strategy for any assets not already in the inventory of the Army, as applicable.

(C) A detailed lifecycle sustainment plan for any rotary wing assets provided for mission support and tasking by the Army at Kwajalein Atoll and the Ronald Reagan Space and Missile Test Range, Marshall Islands.

(D) A projection of anticipated costs over the upcoming future-years defense program submitted to Congress under section 221 of title 10, United States Code, for providing the capabilities described in subsection (a).

(E) Such other matters or recommendations as the Secretary of the Army considers relevant.

With respect to any depot or arsenal of the Department of Defense, the Secretary of Defense may write-off or eliminate any internal Department accounting charges, such as remaining depreciation or internal debt from an account of a military department or the Department associated with capital assets that do not generate revenue due to mission realignments directed by the Federal Government.

Any write-off conducted under subsection (a) shall be done in a manner such that any previous revolving fund cash outlay is recovered.

The authority under subsection (a) applies only to financial balances within the accounts of a military department or the Department of Defense, not to payments owned to commercial contractors.

The Secretary of Defense may delegate the authority under subsection (a) to the Secretary of a military department.

Section 7532 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

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

(2) in subsection (a), as designated by paragraph (1), by striking, so far as those factories or arsenals can make those supplies on an economical basis and inserting when it is economical to do so; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

If the Secretary of the Army chooses to make munitions or weapons systems outside the organic industrial base of the Army, the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, or any successor official, shall certify that—

(A) the choice will not undermine the capacity of sites of the organic industrial base of the Army within the continental United States to produce munitions or weapons systems to meet requirements of the Department of Defense and foreign allies or partner nations of the United States;

(B) due consideration was given to whether it was in the interest of ensuring adequate workloads at sites of the organic industrial base of the Army to establish the capability to produce the munition or weapons system at such a site;

(C) preference was given to a production facility within the continental United States; and

(D) a site in the organic industrial base of the Army was not deemed ineligible for production solely because the munition or weapons systems is not currently being made at the site and consideration was given to the feasibility of increasing capability at such a site to allow it to meet the production need.

If the Secretary of the Army cannot make the certification required under paragraph (1) with respect to a choice described in that paragraph, not later than 30 days before such choice is finalized, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the Secretary of Defense and the congressional defense committees an explanation for why such choice is in the interest of the national security of the United States.

In this section:

(1) The term economical means providing a cost comparable to that of other viable production options while also—

(A) efficiently and quickly meeting the needs of the Army and the Department of Defense; and

(B) addressing the needs of the Army to effectively and efficiently balance workload across the organic industrial base of the Army to maintain the health of the organic industrial base.

(2) The term organic industrial base of the Army means any operational arsenal, ammunition plant, activity, or depot of the Army.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the strategy of the Department of Defense to maintain and upgrade conventional munitions storage facilities (both in the continental United States and outside the continental United States) in order to ensure the safe, effective, and long-term storage of current and future conventional munitions inventories.

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

(1) A comprehensive description of the current strategy and practices of the United States Army Materiel Command for maintaining, repairing, and upgrading conventional munitions storage facilities, including any ongoing or planned investments in infrastructure modernization.

(2) A detailed assessment of the current condition of all conventional munitions storage facilities, including—

(A) the percentage or proportion of facilities at each installation of the Department of Defense that meet applicable standards of the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, and industry for conventional munitions storage;

(B) the percentage or proportion of storage capacity currently housing obsolete, outdated, or operationally irrelevant munitions; and

(C) an identification of the funds necessary to invest in sustained conventional munitions readiness.

(3) An evaluation of the sufficiency of climate-controlled storage facilities to support the full execution of conventional munitions acquisition, storage, and prepositioning plans, including the ability to preposition stocks at installations outside the continental United States in support of requirements of the commanders of the combatant commands, including by specifically addressing projected shortfalls (by location and capacity) and any associated risks to conventional munitions readiness.

(4) A strategy for coordinating conventional munitions storage requirements and facility modernization priorities across the Department of Defense, including mechanisms to align storage needs with service-specific and theater-specific operational plans.

(5) A detailed plan to ensure that adequate storage facilities are available under conventional munitions procurement planned under the Munitions Acceleration Council of the Department of Defense in conditions that preserve the effectiveness of such munitions.

The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex if necessary to protect sensitive operational or force-protection information.

The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a risk assessment to evaluate the air traffic control systems owned and operated by any entity of the Department of Defense and operated within the airspace of the United States and develop a modernization plan to update those systems.

The assessment required by subsection (a) shall be comprehensive across all branches of the Armed Forces and shall—

(1) review the air traffic control systems assessed by the Department in the report dated December 2018 and entitled, Report to Congress on Air Traffic Control Facilities and assess any new systems implemented after the date of such report;

(2) assess the status, as of the date of the assessment under subsection (a), of the functionality for the air traffic control systems specified in paragraph (1), including—

(A) an assessment of facility condition;

(B) an assessment of technology and equipment condition;

(C) an identification of deficiencies in conditions assessed under subparagraphs (A) and (B);

(D) the cost of addressing such deficiencies; and

(E) a timeline for addressing such deficiencies;

(3) identify the ongoing investments by the Department to modernize air traffic control systems;

(4) assess the progress made in implementing modernization investments to such systems, including—

(A) barriers or challenges to such implementation;

(B) existing mitigation strategies; and

(C) recommendations for authorities, resources, or policy changes; and

(5) assess system compatibility and modernization alignment with efforts by the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration to modernize the air traffic control system of the United States through the Brand New Air Traffic Control System.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees the assessment and plan required under subsection (a).

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report detailing the status of modernizing the air traffic control systems used by the Department.

Section 2476(f)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(J) Blue Grass Army Depot, Kentucky.

(K) Sierra Army Depot, California.

(L) Hawthorne Army Depot, Nevada.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and except as provided in subsection (b), the Secretary of the Air Force shall implement each recommendation of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense contained in the report dated February 17, 2026, and entitled, Evaluation of the DoD Military Working Dog Program's Management of Canine Welfare (DODIG–2026–057).

If the Secretary of the Air Force elects to not implement a recommendation specified under subsection (a), the Secretary shall, not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report that includes a justification for such election.

After July 1, 2027, no connected vehicle designated under paragraph (2) may be operated on a military installation or on any other property of the Department of Defense.

A connected vehicle is designated under this paragraph if it is prohibited under part 791 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations).

After January 1, 2029, no connected vehicle designated under paragraph (2) may be operated on a military installation or on any other property of the Department of Defense.

A connected vehicle is designated under this paragraph if it is—

(A) designated under subsection (a)(2); and

(B) determined by the Secretary of Defense, pursuant to the process established in the implementation plan under subsection (c)—

(i) to be designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by a person or persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign entity of concern; and

(ii) to pose—

(I) an undue risk of sabotage to or subversion of the information and communications technology and services of a military installation;

(II) an undue risk of catastrophic effects on the security or resiliency of defense critical infrastructure; or

(III) an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons.

The Secretary shall publish and maintain on a publicly available website of the Department a list of connected vehicles designated under paragraph (2).

Not less frequently than annually, the Secretary shall review the list required under subparagraph (A) and shall make such additions, subtractions, supplements, or amendments to the list as the Secretary determines appropriate.

Any review under subparagraph (B) that removes a vehicle from the list under subparagraph (A) shall include a written explanation of the basis for such removal.

Not later than April 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees an implementation plan for carrying out the prohibitions under subsections (a) and (b).

The implementation plan under paragraph (1) shall include—

(A) identification of the lead office within the Department of Defense responsible for implementing and overseeing this section, and an assessment of personnel and funding required to sustain that office to meet the requirements of annual reviews conducted under subsection (e);

(B) a verification mechanism through which military installations will identify connected vehicles designated under subsection (a)(2) or (b)(2) that are seeking access to the installation, including an evaluation of vehicle registration database and point-of-entry screening, as well as consultation with State motor vehicle authorities;

(C) the analytical process and criteria through which the lead office will designate connected vehicles under subsection (b)(2), including methodology for assessing ownership and supply chain relationships to foreign entities of concern and the risk factors under subparagraph (B)(ii) of such subsection, incorporating existing Federal rules and interagency coordination; and

(D) an assessment of the impact on individuals with authorized access to military installations, including military retirees, military families, and civilian employees, and measures to balance security requirements with minimizing the burden on such individuals and minimizing the impact to readiness of the Armed Forces.

The Secretary of Defense shall provide not less than 180 days notice before a prohibition under subsection (a) or (b) takes effect with respect to any newly designated vehicle under such subsection, during which period individuals with authorized access to a military installation who own or operate such a vehicle may continue to access the installation.

The Secretary shall provide notice under paragraph (1) by publication on a publicly available website of the Department of Defense and by such other means as the Secretary determines appropriate to reach affected individuals.

The prohibitions under subsections (a) and (b) shall take effect only upon the submission by the Secretary of Defense of a certification to the congressional defense committees that the Department of Defense has—

(1) the resources, personnel, and screening mechanisms in place to enforce the prohibition at military installations; and

(2) in the case of a prohibition under subsection (b), the resources, personnel, and analytical capacity in place to conduct the designation review process under paragraph (3)(B) of such subsection on an ongoing basis.

If the Secretary of Defense is unable to make a certification under subsection (e) with respect to a prohibition under subsection (a) or (b), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a notification of that fact, including—

(A) an explanation of why the Secretary is not ready to implement the relevant prohibition;

(B) an identification of the steps the Secretary has taken to prepare for implementation of such prohibition;

(C) an identification of the additional steps that remain before the Secretary is ready to implement such prohibition; and

(D) a timeline for each step to be carried out under subparagraph (C).

The Secretary shall submit the notifications required under paragraph (1)—

(A) with respect to the prohibition under subsection (a), not later than July 1, 2027, and not less frequently than every 180 days thereafter; and

(B) with respect to the prohibition under subsection (b), not later than January 1, 2029, and not less frequently than every 180 days thereafter.

The Secretary of Defense may waive a prohibition under subsection (a) or (b) with respect to a military installation, category of installations, or class of connected vehicles upon a determination that operational requirements or national security considerations warrant such waiver, and may delegate such waiver authority to such officials or commanders as the Secretary considers appropriate.

The Secretary shall notify the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives of any waiver issued under paragraph (1) not later than 30 days after issuance of the waiver, including a rationale for the waiver.

In this section:

The term connected vehicle has the meaning given that term in section 791.301 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regulations.

The term defense critical infrastructure has the meaning given the term critical infrastructure of the Department of Defense in section 1650(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 10 U.S.C. 2224 note).

The term foreign entity of concern has the meaning given that term in section 9901 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (15 U.S.C. 4651).

The term military installation has the meaning given that term in section 2801(c) of title 10, United States Code.

Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for operation and maintenance, defense-wide, and available for the Office of the Secretary of Defense for travel expenses, not more than 25 percent may be obligated or expended until the Secretary of Defense carries out the following:

(1) Complies with the requirements of section 1067 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 2071).

(2) Submits to the congressional defense committees the procedures for notifications relating to Department of Defense sensitive activities required by section 130g of title 10, United States Code.

(3) Submits to the congressional defense committees, the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives a certification that the requirements of section 430e of title 10, United States Code, have been implemented.

(4) Submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives the unredacted investigation, including relevant supporting documents, directed by the Commander of the United States Special Operations Command on January 20, 2026.

(5) Submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives unredacted civilian harm investigations, including all relevant supporting documents, for the strikes on the Ras Isa Port in Yemen on April 17, 2025, the Ayn Wadi Barracks Warehouses in Yemen on April 28, 2025, a residence in Yemen on April 6, 2025, and the Minab girls school in Iran on February 28, 2026.

(6) Submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives the report relating to allied and partner support to Ukraine required by section 1243 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118–31; 137 Stat. 460), as amended by section 1245 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 139 Stat. 1104).

(7) Provides to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives unedited video of strikes conducted against designated terrorist organizations in the area of responsibility of the United States Southern Command.

Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 30 days thereafter until the Secretary submits the matters specified in subsection (a), the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report detailing the status of funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for operation and maintenance, defense-wide, and available for the Office of the Secretary of Defense for travel expenses.

At a minimum, each report required by paragraph (1) shall specify the amounts available, obligated, and expended for travel expenses.

Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for operation and maintenance, Air Force, and available for travel expenses for the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, not more than 85 percent may be obligated or expended until the date on which the Secretary of the Air Force provides to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives an unclassified briefing on—

(1) the status of the West Lab Project at the Lincoln Laboratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, including planning and construction timelines and milestones as of the date of the briefing;

(2) the resources needed to complete the West Lab Project, disaggregated by phase of construction and fiscal year when funds are needed;

(3) with respect to delays of the West Lab Project—

(A) the causes of any such delay;

(B) the impact of any additional delays on the cost and schedule of construction of such project; and

(C) the impact of delays on the activities and projects funded by the Department of Defense at the Lincoln Laboratory; and

(4) the plan of the Secretary of the Air Force to award a construction contract for the rest of the West Lab Project by not later than June 2027, with construction to be completed by June 2029.

Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act the Secretary of Defense shall implement the naming recommendations for assets of the Department of Defense in the Commonwealth of Virginia that were adopted by the Commission.

The Secretary of Defense may not change the name of an asset described in subsection (a) to any name other than the name required under such subsection.

In this section, the term Commission means the commission established under section 370(b) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 113 note).

Section 183a of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i); and

(2) by inserting after subsection (g) the following:

(1) For any project for which the Secretary of Defense determines, based on the preliminary review conducted under subsection (c), that the proposed action may have an adverse impact on operations and readiness of the armed forces, the Secretary shall complete the review under subsection (d), conduct any mitigation discussions the Secretary determines appropriate, and issue a final determination consistent with subsections (c) and (e), including whether the proposed project would result in an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States, not later than 180 days after the date on which the Clearinghouse receives the relevant notice, filing, or request for review, unless the applicant agrees in writing to an extension.

(2) For any project for which the Secretary of Defense determines, based on the preliminary review conducted under subsection (c), that the proposed action does not have an adverse impact on operations and readiness of the armed forces, the Secretary shall issue a final determination consistent with subsections (c) and (e), including whether the proposed project would result in an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States, not later than five days after completion of the preliminary review.

(3) The Secretary may not extend, restart, or otherwise delay a deadline established under this subsection based on requests for additional information, recharacterization of previously identified issues, ongoing mitigation discussions, or the absence of an executed mitigation agreement.

(4) For purposes of this subsection, a notice, filing, or request for review shall be deemed received by the Clearinghouse on the earlier of—

(A) the date on which the Clearinghouse actually receives such notice, filing, or request; or

(B) the date that is 60 days after the applicant provides notice to the Clearinghouse that it has submitted to a Federal agency information sufficient to initiate review under this section.

(5) Failure to meet any deadline under this subsection shall constitute an unreasonable delay.

(6) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to modify or alter the substantive standards or national security authorities applicable under this section, but only to establish procedural requirements governing the timing and completion of review by the Department of Defense.

With respect to a project described in subsection (h)(1) of section 183a of title 10, United States Code, for which the relevant notice, filing, or request for review was submitted before the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall comply with the requirements under such subsection by not later than the later of—

(1) 180 days after the date on which the Military Aviation and Installation Assurance Siting Clearinghouse received and recorded the relevant notice, filing, or request for review; or

(2) 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for active duty personnel as of September 30, 2027, as follows:

(1) The Army, 469,000.

(2) The Navy, 356,600.

(3) The Marine Corps, 173,700.

(4) The Air Force, 330,400.

(5) The Space Force, 13,200.

The Armed Forces are authorized strengths for Selected Reserve personnel of the reserve components as of September 30, 2027, as follows:

(1) The Army National Guard of the United States, 331,300.

(2) The Army Reserve, 172,000.

(3) The Navy Reserve, 56,500.

(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 34,700.

(5) The Air National Guard of the United States, 107,400.

(6) The Air Force Reserve, 67,400.

(7) The Coast Guard Reserve, 8,500.

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, 2027, the following number of Reserves to be serving on full-time active duty or full-time duty, in the case of members of the National Guard, for the purpose of organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the reserve components:

(1) The Army National Guard of the United States, 31,154.

(2) The Army Reserve, 16,511.

(3) The Navy Reserve, 10,649.

(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 2,400.

(5) The Air National Guard of the United States, 25,533.

(6) The Air Force Reserve, 6,278.

In executing these authorizations for fiscal year 2027, the Department of Defense—

(1) shall adhere to any agreements made with states as a result of releveling efforts or manning studies; and

(2) may use authorized variance authority to meet these requirements.

The minimum number of military technicians (dual status) as of the last day of fiscal year 2027 for the reserve components of the Army and the Air Force (notwithstanding section 129 of title 10, United States Code) shall be the following:

(1) For the Army National Guard of the United States, 20,037.

(2) For the Army Reserve, 5,870.

(3) For the Air National Guard of the United States, 10,824.

(4) For the Air Force Reserve, 6,450.

The number of temporary military technicians (dual status) employed under the authority of subsection (a) may not exceed 25 percent of the total authorized number specified in such subsection.

Under no circumstances may a military technician (dual status) employed under the authority of this section be coerced by a State into accepting an offer of realignment or conversion to any other military status, including as a member of the Active, Guard, and Reserve component. If a military technician (dual status) declines to participate in such realignment or conversion, no further action will be taken against the individual or the individual’s position.

During fiscal year 2027, the maximum number of members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces who may be serving at any time on full-time operational support duty under section 115(b) of title 10, United States Code, is the following:

(1) The Army National Guard of the United States, 17,000.

(2) The Army Reserve, 13,000.

(3) The Navy Reserve, 6,200.

(4) The Marine Corps Reserve, 3,000.

(5) The Air National Guard of the United States, 16,000.

(6) The Air Force Reserve, 14,000.

Funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 for the use of the Armed Forces and other activities and agencies of the Department of Defense for expenses, not otherwise provided for, for military personnel, as specified in the funding table in section 4401.

The authorization of appropriations in the subsection (a) supersedes any other authorization of appropriations (definite or indefinite) for such purpose for fiscal year 2027.

Section 624(d) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end the following: “In the case of an officer whose promotion is delayed pursuant to this subsection, the Secretary of Defense shall notify the congressional defense committees of such delay not later than 30 days after the date on which the delay is imposed. Such notification shall include—

(A) the reason for the delay, including a description of any adverse information or basis for concern;

(B) the anticipated duration of the delay;

(C) the status of any review or investigation associated with the delay; and

(D) such other information as the Secretary considers appropriate.; and

(2) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking, unless it is impracticable to give such written notice before the effective date of the appointment, in which case such written notice shall be given as soon as practicable.

Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary may temporarily withhold the forwarding or processing of an officer nomination or promotion recommendation for not more than 30 days.

Upon expiration of the period under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall—

(1) forward the nomination or recommendation for further processing;

(2) take appropriate action to permanently remove the officer from consideration due to a substantiated finding of misconduct; or

(3) provide a written determination to the Secretary concerned, including the basis for continued withholding, to justify an extension under subsection (c).

Any withholding that exceeds 30 days shall be accompanied by written notification to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, including a detailed explanation of the basis for such continued withholding.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the President to remove an officer from a promotion list under section 629 of title 10, United States Code.

Section 580a(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking October 1, 2015, and ending on October 1, 2019 and inserting October 1, 2025, and ending on October 1, 2030.

Section 1370 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(A) in subsection (b)—

(i) by striking paragraph (4); and

(ii) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through (7) as paragraphs (4) through (6), respectively; and

(B) in subsection (c)(4), by striking subsection (b)(6) and inserting subsection (b)(5).

Subsection (d) of such section is amended—

(A) in the subsection heading, by striking pending investigation or adverse action and inserting pending investigation, adverse action, or other administrative action;

(B) in paragraph (1)—

(i) by inserting or other administrative action after adverse personnel action; and

(ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking highest permanent grade of satisfactory service and inserting highest grade of satisfactory service;

(C) in paragraph (2)—

(i) by inserting or other administrative action after adverse personnel action; and

(ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking highest permanent grade of satisfactory service and inserting highest grade of satisfactory service;

(D) by striking paragraph (3); and

(E) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3).

Section 1370 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(A) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and

(B) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new subsection:

(1) The Secretary concerned, or the Secretary of Defense, as the case may be, may not make a determination that an officer has not performed satisfactory service for purposes of this section unless the officer is the subject of credible adverse information.

(2) For the purposes of this subsection, adverse information is any substantiated finding or conclusion from an officially documented investigation or inquiry. To be credible, the information must be resolved and supported by a preponderance of the evidence. To be adverse, the information must be derogatory, unfavorable, or of a nature that reflects clearly unacceptable conduct, integrity, or judgment on the part of the individual.

Section 1370a of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(A) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i); and

(B) by inserting after subsection (g) the following new subsection:

(1) The Secretary concerned, or the Secretary of Defense, as the case may be, may not make a determination that an officer has not performed satisfactory service for purposes of this section unless the officer is the subject of credible adverse information.

(2) For the purposes of this subsection, adverse information is any substantiated finding or conclusion from an officially documented investigation or inquiry. To be credible, the information must be resolved and supported by a preponderance of the evidence. To be adverse, the information must be derogatory, unfavorable, or of a nature that reflects clearly unacceptable conduct, integrity, or judgment on the part of the individual.

Section 12741 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(1) The Secretary concerned may not make a determination that a person has not performed satisfactory service for purposes of this section unless the person is the subject of credible adverse information.

(2) For the purposes of this subsection, adverse information is any substantiated finding or conclusion from an officially documented investigation or inquiry. To be credible, the information must be resolved and supported by a preponderance of the evidence. To be adverse, the information must be derogatory, unfavorable, or of a nature that reflects clearly unacceptable conduct, integrity, or judgment on the part of the individual.

Section 1305(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in paragraph (3), by striking 33 years and inserting 35 years; and

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

(4) In the case of a regular Navy warrant officer in the grade of chief warrant officer, W–4, or a Marine Corps Marine Gunner warrant officer in such grade, the officer shall be retired 60 days after the date on which the officer completes 32 years of total active service.

Section 7153(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking branches and as professors and inserting branches, as professors; and

(2) by inserting, and professors of the United States Army War College before the period at the end.

Chapter 723 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

The permanent military professors of the United States Army War College shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

A permanent military professor of the United States Army War College, who has served as such a professor for more than six years, has the grade of colonel. However, a permanent military professor appointed from the Regular Army has the grade of colonel after the date when the officer completes six years of service as a professor, or after the date on which the officer would have been promoted had the officer been selected for promotion from among officers in the promotion zone, whichever is earlier. All other permanent military professors have the grade of lieutenant colonel.

The Commandant of the United States Army War College may grant a leave of absence for the period of the suspension of the ordinary academic studies, without deduction of pay or allowances, to a military professor, associate professor, assistant professor, instructor, or other officer of the United States Army War College.

Section 203 of title 37, United States Code, is amended by inserting the United States Army War College, after the United States Military Academy, both places it appears.

Section 7320(b)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting and the United States Army War College before the period at the end.

Section 1252 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(A) in the section heading, by inserting and the United States Army War College after at academies; and

(B) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(4) An officer who is a permanent professor of the United States Army War College.

Chapter 35 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

In this section, the term covered officer means an officer serving in the grade of general, admiral, lieutenant general, or vice admiral in—

(1) a position of importance and responsibility under section 601 of this title; or

(2) any other position designated by the Secretary of Defense for purposes of this section.

Not later than 5 days after the relief, removal, reassignment, resignation, retirement, request for retirement, or other separation from position of a covered officer before the expected completion of service in that position, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives written notice of such action.

For purposes of this section, a covered officer shall be considered to separate from a position before the expected completion of service in that position if the officer departs before—

(1) the date of a publicly announced or officially scheduled change of command, retirement, reassignment, or end date for a tour of duty;

(2) the date on which a successor is scheduled to assume the position; or

(3) if no such date has been established, 24 months after the officer assumed the position.

The notice requirement under subsection (b) applies regardless of whether the resignation, retirement, or request for retirement—

(1) was initiated by the Department or by the officer;

(2) occurred in lieu of relief, removal, or reassignment; or

(3) occurred without a formal written direction to depart the position.

A notice under subsection (b) shall include—

(1) the name, grade, and position of the covered officer;

(2) the effective date of the action;

(3) the nature of the action, including whether the action was a relief, removal, reassignment, resignation, retirement, request for retirement, or other departure;

(4) whether the action was initiated by the Department or by the officer;

(5) a statement of the stated basis for the action; and

(6) whether any investigation, command inquiry, Inspector General review, or other fact-finding has been initiated in connection with the action.

Not later than 30 days after submitting a notice under subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the committees specified in subsection (b) a detailed report on the action, which may be submitted in whole or in part in classified form consistent with subsection (g), including—

(1) a statement of the basis for the action signed by the Secretary of Defense, or by the Secretary of the military department concerned if designated by the Secretary of Defense;

(2) any findings of investigation, command inquiry, Inspector General review, or other fact-finding completed as of the date of the report;

(3) whether the covered officer was afforded an opportunity to provide a written statement for inclusion in the report, and any such statement if provided;

(4) a certification by the Secretary of Defense whether the action was taken principally on the basis of misconduct, performance, loss of confidence, force management, reorganization, or other legitimate military or civilian leadership considerations, and not principally in retaliation for the good-faith provision, in the course of official duties, of military, operational, intelligence, readiness, legal, or risk assessments to civilian or military superiors; and

(5) whether the Joint Staff, the Secretary of the military department concerned, the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Chief of Space Operations, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, or the commander of the combatant command concerned recommended the action.

If the Secretary of Defense determines that any information required under subsection (e) or (f) cannot be provided in unclassified form without harm to national security, the Secretary may submit such information in classified form, provided that—

(1) the Secretary submits concurrently an unclassified notice or report containing the maximum amount of information that may be provided in unclassified form; and

(2) the classified submission is provided as a classified annex to the notice or report otherwise required under this section.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the constitutional authority of the President as Commander in Chief or the authority of the Secretary of Defense to assign, reassign, or relieve officers. The exercise of such authority shall remain subject to the notification and reporting requirements of this section.

Section 14706 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(3)—

(A) by striking while in a program and inserting while participating in a service-approved program; and

(B) by striking, but only and all that follows through such a degree;

(2) in subsection (b), by striking other than a student status and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting a capacity other than such officer’s participation in the service-approved program of advanced education.; and

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

In this section, the term service-approved program means a service-approved educational delay of active duty, active guard and reserve, or selected reserve service for a graduate of a pre-commissioning program, including a Senior Reserve Officer Training Corps program, in order attend an advanced education program to obtain a professional degree that would be required for appointment, designation, or assignment to a professional specialty in such military service.

Section 12011(a)(2) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking the table and inserting the following: Total number of members of Navy Reserve serving on full-time reserve component duty: Number of officers who may be serving in the grade of: Lieutenant Command Command Captain 10,000 917 467 151 11,000 988 489 164 12,000 1,056 509 175 13,000 1,123 529 186 14,000 1,189 549 197 15,000 1,253 568 208 16,000 1,142 555 203 17,000 1,195 565 213 18,000 1,246 575 223 19,000 1,291 585 233 20,000 1,334 595 242 21,000 1,364 603 250 22,000 1,384 610 258 23,000 1,400 615 265 24,000 1,410 620 270.

Section 12012(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking those parts of the table pertaining to the Navy Reserve and inserting the following: Navy Reserve: 10,000 355 160 11,000 381 173 12,000 404 187 13,000 427 202 14,000 444 216 15,000 458 231 16,000 447 221 17,000 459 234 18,000 471 247 19,000 483 260 20,000 495 273 21,000 507 286 22,000 519 299 23,000 531 312 24,000 540 325.

Section 12012(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking those parts of the table pertaining to the Marine Corps Reserve and inserting the following: Marine Corps Reserve: 1,100 68 18 1,200 75 20 1,300 81 21 1,400 87 23 1,500 93 24 1,600 99 26 1,700 106 28 1,800 112 29 1,900 118 31 2,000 124 33 2,100 130 34 2,200 137 36 2,300 143 37 2,400 149 39 2,500 155 41 2,600 161 42 2,700 168 44 2,800 174 46 2,900 180 47 3,000 186 49.

Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary of Defense may convert a National Guard military technician (dual status) position filled by an individual employed under section 709 of title 32, United States Code, to either of the following:

(1) A position filled by an individual employed under section 3101 of title 5, United States Code, or sections 1601, 1762, and 10508 of title 10, United States Code.

(2) A position filled by an individual who is performing Active Guard and Reserve duty under section 328 of title 32, United States Code, unless prohibited by section 101(d)(6)(B)(iv) of title 10, United States Code.

In addition to the conversion authority under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense may, with agreement by the applicable State Governor, for the purpose of reducing the number of National Guard military technician (dual status) positions, provide a State with funding for a non-Federal position for an individual employed in such position. Any such funding shall be provided through a cooperative agreement entered into with the State Governor under section 6305 of title 31, United States Code.

The Secretary of Defense may not convert a position under subsection (a) or transfer a position under subsection (b) that is not vacant without the written consent of the individual filling the position being converted or transferred.

An individual filling a military technician (dual status) position that is converted to Active Guard and Reserve duty under subsection (a)(2), waives any re-employment entitlement under section 4314 of title 38, United States Code, to another National Guard military technician (dual status) position but may assert re-employment rights to a civilian position employed under section 3101 of title 5, United States Code, or sections 1601, 1762, and 10508 of title 10, United States Code if a similar position is reasonably available.

(1) Whenever a military technician (dual status) position is converted under the authority in subsection (a)(2), the applicable statutory annual end strength limitation for Active Guard and Reserve personnel within the Army and Air National Guards of the United States in accordance with section 115 of title 10, United States Code, shall be increased accordingly.

(2) Whenever a military technician (dual status) position converted under subsection (a)(2), the applicable statutory annual minimum end strength required for National Guard military technician (dual status) within the Army and Air National Guard of the United States in accordance with section 115 of title 10, United States Code, shall be decreased accordingly.

Section 10508(b)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting sections 1601 and 1762 of title 10, before or section 328 of title 32.

Section 328(b) of title 32, United States Code, is amended by inserting maintaining and repairing supplies issued to the National Guard or the Armed Forces, before and training the reserve components.

Beginning on October 1, 2028, no individual may be newly hired or employed, or rehired or reemployed, as a National Guard military technician (dual status) under section 709 of title 32, United States Code.

Section 709 of title 32, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following subsection:

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), this section shall cease to be in effect as of October 1, 2038.

(2) The Secretary of Defense may, with agreement by the applicable State governor, authorize the continued employment of military technicians (dual status) to the extent necessary to ensure adequate State disaster response capabilities within such States.

(3) The termination of authority under this subsection shall not affect the employment, rights, and benefits of individual employees who, as of such date, are within three years of earning an unreduced Federal civilian annuity.

(1) Section 115(d) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking each reserve component of the Army and Air Force and inserting the Army Reserve and the Air Force Reserve.

(2) The amendment made by subparagraph (A) shall take effect on October 1, 2038.

Section 10216(a)(1)(A) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking or section 709(b) of title 32 before the semicolon.

Subject to the provisions of section 709(k) of title 32, United States Code, funds appropriated for the Department of Defense may not be used for compensation of any individual employed as a National Guard military technician (dual status) after October 1, 2048.

In this section:

(1) The term military technician (dual status) has the meaning given such term in section 709(a) of title 32, United States Code.

(2) The term State includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.

The Secretary of the Navy shall conduct a feasibility study and business case analysis to evaluate the requirements necessary to expand and optimize existing Navy Reserve maintenance programs, including the Navy Reserve Engineering Duty Officer (NR EDO) Program 29 and the SurgeMain program, to provide enhanced maritime surge maintenance, repair, and production capacity.

The Secretary of the Navy shall submit a report to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives of the results of the feasibility study and business case analysis required by subsection (a) not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, which addresses the following elements:

(1) An assessment of the expansion and optimization of existing Navy Reserve maintenance capabilities, including the Navy Reserve Engineering Duty Officer Program 29 and the SurgeMain construct, and the associated end-strength requirements for supporting both public and private shipyards without degrading current fleet readiness support.

(2) An evaluation of the integration of advanced industrial skillsets into existing Reserve ratings and designators.

(3) An analysis of the utilization of existing funding mechanisms, including established Navy Reserve training authorities.

(4) An evaluation of public-private vocational and technical training partnerships to support workforce development and reduce the need for the Navy to independently develop new training pipelines.

(5) An assessment of a legal and operational framework to allow Navy Reserve personnel to support production and maintenance backlogs at private shipyards holding Department of Defense contracts, including an assessment of labor relations, collective bargaining considerations, potential impacts on civilian overtime, recruitment, and retention, and requirements to ensure Reserve personnel supplement rather than displace skilled private-sector workers.

(6) Identification of statutory, regulatory, funding, manpower, and other barriers associated with implementation and recommendations for necessary legislative or policy relief.

In this section, the term SurgeMain program means the Navy Reserve Surge Maintenance program.

Each Secretary of a military department shall implement capabilities to enable the remote in-processing and out-processing of covered personnel.

The capabilities required under paragraph (1) shall, at a minimum—

(A) permit covered personnel to complete in-processing and out-processing requirements remotely, including through the use of electronic forms and digital signatures;

(B) reduce the number of hours required for in-processing and out-processing associated with a permanent change of station, separation, or retirement; and

(C) provide covered personnel and commanders with timely electronic access to records related to such processing.

Not later than September 30, 2027, and annually thereafter through September 30, 2030, each Secretary of a military department shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on the implementation of subsection (a), including—

(1) a description of capabilities implemented;

(2) metrics on time required for in-processing and out-processing before and after implementation;

(3) any challenges or limitations in execution; and

(4) plans, if any, to expand or improve such capabilities.

In this subsection:

The term covered personnel includes members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the military department.

The term in-processing means the administrative activities that covered personnel undertake pursuant to a permanent change of station.

The term out-processing means the administrative activities that covered personnel undertake pursuant to a permanent change of station, separation from the Armed Forces, or end of employment with the military department.

Section 1781(d) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking paragraph (4); and

(2) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (4).

Not later than March 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall issue or update guidance regarding the public release of personally identifiable information of members of the Armed Forces in administrative announcements made through official public affairs channels, including announcements related to command selections, promotion selections, and board results.

The guidance required under subsection (a) shall—

(1) establish appropriate safeguards to mitigate security and counterintelligence risks associated with the public disclosure of personally identifiable information;

(2) account for the unique risks to members assigned to sensitive, specialized, or high-risk units, including members of special operations forces;

(3) provide standards, as appropriate, for the review and approval of information prior to public release; and

(4) ensure consistency in the application of such safeguards across the military departments.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary of Defense or the Secretaries of the military departments to determine what information may be publicly released in accordance with applicable law and policy.

Section 1559 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking December 31, 2025 and inserting December 31, 2031;

(2) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

The baseline number for a service review agency under this section is the number of military and civilian personnel assigned to that agency as of January 1, 2026.; and

(3) in subsection (c)(2), by inserting and the Secretary of the Navy Council of Review Boards (formerly known as the Navy Council of Personnel Boards) after Board of Correction for Naval Records.

Section 522(h) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 10 U.S.C. 503 note) is amended by striking December 31, 2025 and inserting December 31, 2028.

Section 1552(h) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:

(3) As a result of its review under paragraph (2), a board established under subsection (a)(1) may—

(A) grant a claimant’s request to upgrade the characterization of a discharge or dismissal;

(B) grant a claimant’s request to correct the following for a discharge or dismissal: the narrative reason for separation, the separation code, and the re-enlistment code; and

(C) deny any part of the claimant’s application for relief after liberal consideration of the evidence of record.

(4) If a claimant described in paragraph (1) requests retirement or separation for physical disability as defined by chapter 61 of this title, the board established under subsection (a)(1) shall review such request under the evidentiary standards established by the Department of Defense for current service members in the Disability Evaluation System. If the claimant submits multiple bases or requests for relief, the board shall review any eligible requests for relief that do not involve retirement or separation for physical disability as defined by chapter 61 this title, under the liberal consideration standard established in paragraph (2).

Section 1034 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)(2)(A), by adding at the end the following new clauses:

(vi) The conducting of, or a threat to order, a retaliatory security clearance review.

(vii) The conducting of, or a threat to order, a retaliatory psychiatric examination, mental health evaluation, psychological assessment, or other medical testing or examination.;

(2) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (k); and

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

No nondisclosure policy, form, or agreement shall be construed as limiting or otherwise affecting the rights and protections provided under this section.

The Secretary concerned may collect Prospective Recruit Information with respect to prospective recruits for the Armed Forces who are at least 17 years of age for the purpose of enhancing marketing, advertising, and outreach to possible prospective recruits for recruitment for service in the Armed Forces. In the case of any such prospective recruit, such information may only be collected—

(1) with the express consent of the prospective recruit; or

(2) in the case of a prospective recruit who is 17 years of age, with parental consent.

The process for obtaining consent under subsection (a) shall be carried out so that—

(1) the person whose consent is requested is provided information before such consent is obtained that outlines the purpose of the collection, the authority for the collection, routine uses to be made of the collection and the effects on the individual, if any, of not providing all or any part of the requested information, consistent with section 552a of title 5, United States Code; and

(2) the person has the opportunity to establish consent preferences.

Consent may be granted, and Prospective Recruit Information may be collected, under subsection (a) through a military recruiting digital website or platform. The collection of Prospective Recruit Information may be accomplished by the use of cookies or similar technology.

Prospective Recruit Information pertaining to any person may not be maintained for more than 3 years after the date the information pertaining to such person is first collected under this section.

The maintenance of information collected under this subsection is subject to subchapter II of chapter 35 of title 44 and section 552a of title 5.

In this section, the term Prospective Recruit Information means, with respect to a prospective recruit for the Armed Forces, the following:

(1) Name, mailing address, physical address, email address, mobile/cell phone number, and home phone number (if any).

(2) Age, sex, household composition, education level, birth date, marital status, and military/veteran status.

(3) Information about browser types, connected devices, cookie data, and usage metadata.

(4) Unique identifiers such as IP addresses and social media handles.

(5) Fitness activity data.

(6) Such other data elements as determined necessary for effective recruiting, as provided in regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense and maintained in accordance with the applicable system of records notice of the department concerned.

The authority established under subsection (a) shall terminate on December 31, 2031.

Section 7448 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(A) in subsection (a), by amending paragraph (5) to read as follows:

(A) That the cadet may not obtain employment as a professional athlete under this paragraph until 2 years after graduating from the Academy, except as otherwise authorized by the Secretary under subparagraph (B).

(B) The Secretary may authorize not more than 10 cadets during any academic year to obtain employment as a professional athlete before completing the active-duty service obligation otherwise required under this subsection.

(C) The Secretary may waive the numerical limitation under subparagraph (B) and authorize participation for more than 10 graduates in a fiscal year if the Secretary determines that—

(i) such a waiver is in the national interest; and

(ii) participation by additional graduates will provide significant recruiting, retention, public affairs, or strategic benefit to the Armed Forces.

(D) A cadet authorized under subparagraph (B) shall—

(i) accept an appointment as a commissioned officer in an appropriate reserve component, as determined by the Secretary;

(ii) serve in the Selected Reserve in an appropriate status, grade, and assignment, as determined by the Secretary; and

(iii) participate in recruiting, retention, public affairs or other activities that strategically benefit the armed forces, as determined by the Secretary.

(E) The Secretary shall prescribe the period of obligated service required under this paragraph, except that such obligated service shall be served in the Selected Reserve for a period of not more than 10 years.

(F) Upon completion of employment as a professional athlete, or upon termination of authorization under this paragraph, the Secretary may require the officer to serve on active duty for such period as the Secretary determines appropriate, except that the combined period of service required under subparagraph (E) and this subparagraph may not exceed 10 years.

(G) If an officer authorized under this paragraph is unable or unwilling to satisfy the service obligations required under this paragraph, and is determined by the Secretary concerned to be ineligible for further military service, the Secretary may require the officer to reimburse the United States for all or a portion of the cost of the education provided by the Academy, under such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe.;

(B) in subsection (b)—

(i) in paragraph (1), by striking Subject to paragraph (4), the Secretary and inserting The Secretary; and

(ii) by striking paragraph (4); and

(C) in subsection (c)—

(i) by striking paragraph (2); and

(ii) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively.

Section 8459 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(A) in subsection (a), by amending paragraph (5) to read as follows:

(A) That the midshipman may not obtain employment as a professional athlete under this paragraph until 2 years after graduating from the Academy, except as otherwise authorized by the Secretary under subparagraph (B).

(B) The Secretary may authorize not more than 10 midshipmen during any academic year to obtain employment as a professional athlete before completing the active-duty service obligation otherwise required under this subsection.

(C) The Secretary may waive the numerical limitation under subparagraph (B) and authorize participation for more than 10 graduates in a fiscal year if the Secretary determines that—

(i) such a waiver is in the national interest; and

(ii) participation by additional graduates will provide significant recruiting, retention, public affairs, or strategic benefit to the Armed Forces.

(D) A midshipman authorized under subparagraph (B) shall—

(i) accept an appointment as a commissioned officer in an appropriate reserve component, as determined by the Secretary;

(ii) serve in the Selected Reserve in an appropriate status, grade, and assignment, as determined by the Secretary; and

(iii) participate in recruiting, retention, public affairs or other activities that strategically benefit the armed forces, as determined by the Secretary.

(E) The Secretary shall prescribe the period of obligated service required under this paragraph, except that such obligated service shall be served in the Selected Reserve for a period of not more than 10 years.

(F) Upon completion of employment as a professional athlete, or upon termination of authorization under this paragraph, the Secretary may require the officer to serve on active duty for such period as the Secretary determines appropriate, except that the combined period of service required under subparagraph (E) and this subparagraph may not exceed 10 years.

(G) If an officer authorized under this paragraph is unable or unwilling to satisfy the service obligations required under this paragraph, and is determined by the Secretary concerned to be ineligible for further military service, the Secretary may require the officer to reimburse the United States for all or a portion of the cost of the education provided by the Academy, under such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe.;

(B) in subsection (b)—

(i) in paragraph (1), by striking Subject to paragraph (4), the Secretary and inserting The Secretary; and

(ii) by striking paragraph (4); and

(C) in subsection (c)—

(i) by striking paragraph (2); and

(ii) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively.

Section 9448 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(A) in subsection (a), by amending paragraph (5) to read as follows:

(A) That the cadet may not obtain employment as a professional athlete under this paragraph until 2 years after graduating from the Academy, except as otherwise authorized by the Secretary under subparagraph (B).

(B) The Secretary may authorize not more than 10 cadets during any academic year to obtain employment as a professional athlete before completing the active-duty service obligation otherwise required under this subsection.

(C) The Secretary may waive the numerical limitation under subparagraph (B) and authorize participation for more than 10 graduates in a fiscal year if the Secretary determines that—

(i) such a waiver is in the national interest; and

(ii) participation by additional graduates will provide significant recruiting, retention, public affairs, or strategic benefit to the Armed Forces.

(D) A cadet authorized under subparagraph (B) shall—

(i) accept an appointment as a commissioned officer in an appropriate reserve component, as determined by the Secretary;

(ii) serve in the Selected Reserve in an appropriate status, grade, and assignment, as determined by the Secretary; and

(iii) participate in recruiting, retention, public affairs or other activities that strategically benefit the armed forces, as determined by the Secretary.

(E) The Secretary shall prescribe the period of obligated service required under this paragraph, except that such obligated service shall be served in the Selected Reserve for a period of not more than 10 years.

(F) Upon completion of employment as a professional athlete, or upon termination of authorization under this paragraph, the Secretary may require the officer to serve on active duty for such period as the Secretary determines appropriate, except that the combined period of service required under subparagraph (E) and this subparagraph may not exceed 10 years.

(G) If an officer authorized under this paragraph is unable or unwilling to satisfy the service obligations required under this paragraph, and is determined by the Secretary concerned to be ineligible for further military service, the Secretary may require the officer to reimburse the United States for all or a portion of the cost of the education provided by the Academy, under such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe.;

(B) in subsection (b)—

(i) in paragraph (1), by striking Subject to paragraph (4), the Secretary and inserting The Secretary; and

(ii) by striking paragraph (4); and

(C) in subsection (c)—

(i) by striking paragraph (2); and

(ii) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively.

Each Secretary concerned shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section and the amendments made by this section, including eligibility criteria, performance standards, and procedures for monitoring compliance.

Any Department of Defense military personnel action related to promotions, nominative assignments, command selection, and military and civil schooling selection shall be based exclusively on individual merit, fitness, capability, and performance.

Consideration of an individual’s sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin in any military personnel action described in subsection (a) is prohibited throughout the Department of Defense.

This section shall not be construed to prohibit tasking for specific, unconventional missions in foreign countries, where the anticipated ground operating environment of indigenous populations may justify consideration of race, ethnicity, or national origin when tasking for the mission to optimize mission success.

Any tasking pursuant to the exception described in paragraph (1) shall require the approval of the combatant commander concerned.

Not later than 60 days after a tasking pursuant to the exception described in paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall report the tasking to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The report shall describe—

(A) the mission, including location and duration;

(B) the staffing of the mission;

(C) the demographic factors warranting the tasking;

(D) the number of personnel involved, including their rank, position, and race, ethnicity, and national origin; and

(E) the rationale for the tasking.

The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, and all primary and secondary schools under the control of the Department of Defense, including the Department of Defense Education Activity Schools, do not permit a person enrolled at such an Academy or school whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls.

The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, and all primary and secondary schools under the control of the Department of Defense, including the Department of Defense Education Activity Schools—

(A) designate each multi-occupancy restroom or changing room in a facility under its control for the exclusive use of males or females and take reasonable steps to prevent individuals from using a restroom or changing room designated for the opposite sex;

(B) if only one restroom or changing room exists in a facility under its control, clearly designate that restroom or changing room for the sole use by the sex of the team or group using the facility at the time; and

(C) provide students the option to be housed in permanent sleeping quarters only with persons of the same sex at any student housing facilities under its control or during any academy or school-sponsored trips.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, and all primary and secondary schools under the control of the Department of Defense, including the Department of Defense Education Activity Schools, from permitting males to train or practice with an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls so long as no female is deprived of a roster spot on a team or sport, opportunity to participate in a practice or competition, scholarship, admission to an educational institution, or any other benefit that accompanies participating in the athletic program or activity.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, and all primary and secondary schools under the control of the Department of Defense, including the Department of Defense Education Activity Schools, from—

(A) establishing single-occupancy restrooms, changing rooms, or permanent sleeping quarters;

(B) allowing individuals to enter a restroom or changing room designated for the opposite sex—

(i) to perform custodial services or maintenance;

(ii) to render medical assistance;

(iii) to provide childcare, disability support, or age-appropriate parental assistance in Department of Defense Education Activity School environments;

(iv) to provide services or render aid during a natural disaster, a declared emergency, or when necessary to prevent a serious threat to good order or safety; or

(v) to provide coaching or athletic training during athletic events by coaching staff in changing rooms, provided that the individual ensures that no person of the opposite sex is in a state of undress prior to entering the room; or

(C) utilizing temporary co-ed sleeping arrangements necessary for training exercises, deployments, or other operational environments.

In this section—

(1) the term athletic programs and activities includes all programs or activities that are provided conditional upon participation with any athletic team;

(2) the term changing room means a locker room, shower room, or other area designated for individuals to change clothing;

(3) the term female means an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a congenital anomaly or intentional or unintentional disruption, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes eggs for fertilization;

(4) the term male means an individual who naturally has, had, will have, or would have, but for a congenital anomaly or intentional or unintentional disruption, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes sperm for fertilization;

(5) the term restroom means a room that includes one or more toilets or urinals;

(6) the term sex means an individual’s biological sex, either male or female; and

(7) the term sleeping quarters means a room with a bed in which more than one individual is housed overnight.

Title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in section 573(b), by striking the last sentence;

(2) in section 612(a)(1), by striking the last sentence; and

(3) in section 14102(b), by striking the last sentence.

Section 986 of title 10, United States Code, is repealed.

Section 2001(a)(1)(B) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking include and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting include honor, excellence, courage, and commitment..

Section 543 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 (Public Law 103–160; 10 U.S.C. 113 note) is amended—

(1) in the section heading, by striking Gender-neutral and inserting Sex-neutral;

(2) in subsection (a)—

(A) in the subsection heading, by striking Gender neutrality and inserting Sex neutrality;

(B) by striking that is open to both male and female members of the Armed Forces and inserting in the Armed Forces;

(C) in paragraph (1), by striking on the basis of gender and inserting on the basis of sex;

(D) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively;

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

(2) shall ensure that any member of the Armed Forces who meets the occupational standards for such occupational career field shall be eligible for qualification, assignment, and continuance in that occupational career field without differential standards or evaluation on the basis of sex;

(F) in paragraph (3), as redesignated by subparagraph (D), by striking gender quota and inserting sex quota; and

(G) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated, by inserting men or before women;

(3) in subsection (b)—

(A) in the subsection heading, by striking physical and inserting occupational; and

(B) in paragraph (1)—

(i) by striking physical requirements for and inserting requirements for technical, tactical, cognitive, and physical abilities, including;

(ii) by striking strength and endurance and inserting strength, endurance,;

(iii) by striking physical requirements as and inserting requirements as;

(iv) by striking gender-neutral occupational standard and inserting sex-neutral occupational standard;

(v) by striking (in the case of a career designator that is open to both male and female members of the Armed Forces); and

(vi) by striking gender-neutral basis and inserting sex-neutral basis;

(4) in subsection (c), by striking gender-neutral occupational standard and inserting sex-neutral occupational standard;

(5) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e);

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

Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the Secretary from revising occupational performance standards, where such standards are based on validated operational requirements and applied on a sex-neutral basis.; and

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

(A) in the paragraph heading, by striking Gender-neutral and inserting Sex-neutral; and

(B) by striking gender-neutral occupational standard and inserting sex-neutral occupational standard.

The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Joint Service Committee on Military Justice, shall analyze the feasibility and advisability of amending section 917a(a) of title 10, United States Code, (article 117a(a) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice) to remove paragraph (4) (relating to requiring as an element of the offense, conduct [that has] a reasonably direct and palpable connection to a military mission or military environment).

Not later than December 31, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report detailing the results of the analysis conducted under subsection (a) and any associated recommendations.

Section 806b of title 10, United States Code (article 6b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended—

(1) in subsection (e)(3), by striking subparagraph (C); and

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

(1) The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces may review all decisions or dispositions taken by a Court of Criminal Appeals pursuant to a petition filed by the victim of an offense under this chapter under subsection (e) and on good cause shown.

(2) The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces shall take action only with respect to matters of law.

(3) The victim of an offense under this chapter may petition the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces for review pursuant to paragraph (1) not later than 21 days after the earlier of—

(A) the date on which the victim is notified of the decision or disposition of the Court of Criminal Appeals on a petition pursuant to subsection (e); and

(B) the date on which a copy of the decision or disposition of the Court of Criminal Appeals, after being served on counsel for the victim (if the victim has counsel), is deposited into the United States mails for delivery by first-class certified mail to the victim at an address provided by the victim or at the latest address listed for the victim in the record of any proceedings held pursuant to section 830(a) or 832 of this title (article 30(a) or 32) or during trial.

(4) Review of any decision or disposition of the Court of Criminal Appeals on a petition for writ of mandamus described in this subsection shall have priority in the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, as determined under the rules of the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

Section 857(c) of title 10, United States Code (article 57(c) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended—

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

(2) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking Appeals and— and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting Appeals and the review and time requirements described in paragraph (2) are satisfied.; and

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

The review and time requirements referred to in paragraph (1)(B) are satisfied if any of the following applies:

(A) The time for the accused to file a petition for review by the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces has expired and the accused has not filed a petition for such review in a timely manner and the case is not otherwise under review by that Court.

(B) The petition for review is withdrawn by the accused.

(C) The petition for review having been filed—

(i) either—

(I) the petition is denied or otherwise rejected by the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; or

(II) the review requested by the petition is completed in accordance with the judgment of the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; and

(ii) with respect to subsequent review by the Supreme Court—

(I) a petition for a writ of certiorari as provided in section 1259 of title 28 is not filed within the time limits prescribed by the Supreme Court;

(II) such a petition is rejected by the Supreme Court;

(III) such a petition is withdrawn by the petitioner; or

(IV) review is otherwise completed in accordance with the judgment of the Supreme Court.

Section 865(d) of title 10, United States Code (article 65(d) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended—

(1) by striking paragraph (2);

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

(3) in paragraph (2), as so redesignated—

(A) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) and inserting subparagraph (A) or (B); and

(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking conclusions and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting “a conclusion on each of the following matters:

(i) Whether the court had jurisdiction over the accused and the offense.

(ii) Whether the charge and specification stated an offense.

(iii) Whether the sentence was within the limits prescribed as a matter of law.

Section 869(c)(2) of title 10, United States Code (article 69(c)(2) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended by striking section 865(b) of this title (article 65(b)) and inserting section 865(d) of this title (article 65(d)).

Section 824a(c) of title 10, United States Code (article 24a(c) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended—

(1) in paragraph (3)—

(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking paragraph (5) and inserting paragraphs (4) and (6); and

(B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting or pretrial agreement after plea agreement;

(2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs (5) and (6), respectively; and

(3) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new paragraph:

If a special trial counsel exercises authority pursuant to subsection (d) over an offense committed before January 1, 2019, the special trial counsel may enter into a pretrial agreement with the accused in accordance with regulations prescribed by the President. Upon acceptance of such an agreement by the military judge of a general or special court-martial, the agreement shall bind the parties and the convening authority.

Section 866(e)(1) of title 10, United States Code (article 66(e)(1) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended—

(1) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:

(B) whether the portion of the sentence extending to confinement is inappropriately severe, except that in the case of an offense for which the President has established a sentencing parameter for such portion pursuant to section 539E(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (10 U.S.C. 856 note), the Court may not consider such portion inappropriately severe if such portion is at or below the upper range of such sentencing parameter;; and

(2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the sentence and inserting the portion of the sentence extending to confinement.

Section 830a(a)(1)(B) of title 10, United States Code (article 30a(a)(1)(B) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended by striking warrants or orders and inserting warrants, orders, or subpoenas.

Section 846(d)(3) of title 10, United States Code (article 46(d)(3) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended—

(1) in the paragraph heading, by striking Warrant or order and inserting Warrant, order, or subpoena;

(2) by striking may issue warrants or court orders and inserting may issue warrants, court orders, or investigative subpoenas; and

(3) by striking as such warrants and orders and inserting as such warrants, orders, or subpoenas.

Section 1044e of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in the section heading, by inserting domestic violence and before sex-related offenses;

(2) by inserting domestic violence or before sex-related offense each place it appears;

(3) in subsection (b)(3), by striking domestic abuse advocate and inserting domestic abuse victim advocate;

(4) in subsection (f)(1), by inserting domestic abuse victim advocate, after healthcare provider,; and

(5) in subsection (h)—

(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting domestic violence or before sex-related offense; and

(B) in paragraph (1), by striking or 930 of this title (article 120, 120b, 120c, and inserting 928b, or 930 of this title (article 120, 120b, 120c, 128b,.

The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect two years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide a briefing to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives on the implementation of policies and procedures to carry out the changes required pursuant to subsection (a).

The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Joint Service Committee on Military Justice, shall analyze the feasibility and advisability of, and develop recommendations with respect to, modifying chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (the Uniform Code of Military Justice) to provide for one or more of the following changes:

(A) To establish hazing as a sentence modifier for offenses where hazing was present.

(B) To establish hazing as a lesser included offense under section 893 of title 10, United States Code (article 93 of the Uniform Code of Military justice; relating to cruelty and maltreatment).

(C) To establish another method of codifying hazing as a standalone punitive article of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

As part of the analysis conducted under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall develop a proposed definition of the term hazing for purposes of such modifier, article, or alternative.

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 on the results of the analysis under subsection (a), including a justification for any decision not to codify hazing as a punitive article under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Section 1567a of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in the section heading, by inserting and victims of domestic abuse or sexual assault after civilian law enforcement;

(2) in subsection (a), by inserting and, in a case involving domestic abuse or sexual assault, the victim or requesting individual, after appropriate civilian authorities; and

(3) in subsection (c), by inserting and, in a case involving domestic abuse or sexual assault, the victim or requesting individual, after appropriate civilian authorities.

The Secretary of Defense shall establish and implement Department of Defense policy to require commanders, in response to domestic violence reports or complaints, to make an initial determination as to the credibility of the report or complaint. If the report is deemed credible, in consultation with the victim, the commander should—

(1) impose military protective orders; and

(2) whenever practicable, separate the victim and the alleged offender into separate housing;

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Department of Defense shall provide a briefing to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives concerning any additional authorities necessary to properly implement the policy referenced in subsection (a), as well as the establishment of a process to maintain emergent housing entitlements to basic allowance for housing or military housing units in support of domestic violence victims for up to 180 days.

Not later than December 1, 2027, and annually thereafter by December 1 through 2031, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the General Counsel of the Department of Defense, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a comprehensive report on the findings, recommendations, and implementation status of the Department-wide review of the military legal system initiated pursuant to the Secretary of Defense memorandum dated May 8, 2026.

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

(A) A detailed summary of the reviews conducted by the special review panel established by the General Counsel, including a list of all final recommendations submitted to the Secretary during the preceding fiscal year.

(B) Details on the specific timeline, implementation status, and systemic changes executed or planned by the Department based on the panel’s recommendations.

(C) An assessment of how any administrative, structural, or policy changes resulting from the review impact the statutory independence and authorities of the special trial counsel established under part I of subtitle D of title V of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 1692).

(D) The specific metrics, criteria, and legal justifications used to differentiate operational military legal workloads from civilian workloads, alongside a quantification of any legal personnel or billets shifted from military to civilian oversight.

(E) A summary of the comparative data and criteria used by the Department to benchmark the military legal system against the Department of Justice and State criminal justice systems, including any findings on system efficiencies or deficiencies.

(F) An evaluation of how proposed changes affect the professional responsibility, rating chains, and statutory duty of the Judge Advocates General of the Armed Forces to provide independent legal advice.

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

The Secretary of Defense shall brief the congressional defense committees not later than 30 days after implementing any changes based on the recommendations of the panel and review described in subsection (a)(1).

Section 802(d)(2)(B) of title 10, United States Code (article 2(d)(2)(B) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), is amended by inserting or during a period specified in subsection (a)(3)(B) after on inactive-duty training.

Section 803(d) of such title (article 3(d) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice) is amended—

(1) by inserting or a period specified in section 802(a)(3)(B) of this title (article 2(a)(3)(B)) after a period of active duty or inactive-duty training; and

(2) by striking of active-duty or inactive-duty training before the period at the end.

Section 802 of title 10, United States Code (article 2 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking The following persons and inserting Except as provided in subsection (e), the following persons;

(2) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f); and

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

(1) With respect to members to whom the provisions of this chapter are made applicable by paragraphs (4), (5), (6), and (14) of subsection (a), except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the provisions of subchapter X shall not be applicable to any—

(A) conduct of such members which constitutes or pertains to political speech;

(B) expressions pertaining to the actions, character, motivations, qualifications, or other attributes of government officials; or

(C) statements of the law.

(2) The exception under paragraph (1) shall not apply to a member—

(A) to whom this chapter is applicable under a paragraph of subsection (a) other than one of the paragraphs referenced in paragraph (1) of this subsection; or

(B) who is wearing a military uniform.

The Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of the Air Force may not reorganize a unit of the program of their respective military service until the date that is 90 days after the date on which the Secretary provides to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a briefing with respect to the reorganization of such unit that includes the following:

(A) Each position of such unit to be eliminated.

(B) A risk analysis regarding the impact of the reorganization on officer accessions that justifies such reorganization.

(C) Anticipated cost savings or expenses to the United States.

(D) The number of members of the program affected by the reorganization, including the number of members who will have to travel to another educational institution to participate in the program after the reorganization.

(E) Any change to a scholarship awarded under section 2107 or 2107a of title 10, United States Code, due to the reorganization.

The Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of the Air Force shall ensure that any reorganization of a unit of the program of their respective military service allows a member of the program receiving financial assistance under section 2107 or 2107a of title 10, United States Code, who is affected by such reorganization to complete any requirements for receiving a commission as an officer in the military service without the member being required to transfer to another educational institution.

In this section:

(1) The terms program and member of the program have the meanings given such terms in section 2101 of title 10, United States Code.

(2) The term reorganize, with respect to a unit of the program, includes closing, restructuring, reclassifying, merging, or realigning.

Section 8462 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)—

(A) by striking Superintendent of the Naval Academy and all that follows through report of the facts— and inserting Secretary of the Navy may discharge a midshipman from the Naval Academy and from the naval service—;

(B) in paragraph (1), by striking Superintendent and inserting Secretary; and

(C) in paragraph (2), by striking Academic Board unanimously determines and inserting Secretary determines; and

(2) by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

(b) The authority of the Secretary under subsection (a) may be delegated to the Superintendent of the Naval Academy.

Section 553(c)(2) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 132 Stat. 1773) is amended by striking The repeal made under paragraph (1) and inserting The amendments made by this section.

The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232).

Section 2004 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking Not more than 25 officers and enlisted members from each military department and inserting Not more than 35 members from each military service; and

(2) in subsection (c)—

(A) by inserting (1) before Officers and enlisted members; and

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

(2) The Secretaries of the military departments are authorized to waive the time in service minimum of two years in subsection (b)(1)(A)(i) for up to five officers who are graduates of the United States Military Academy established under section 7431 of title 10, United States Code, up to five officers who are graduates of the Air Force Academy established under section 9431 of title 10, United States Code, and up to five officers who are graduates of the Naval Academy established under section 8451 of title 10, United States Code, respectively.

Section 7451 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking subsection (b);

(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b); and

(3) in subsection (b), as so redesignated, by striking the course and inserting a course.

Section 9451 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking subsection (b);

(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b); and

(3) in subsection (b), as so redesignated, by striking the course and inserting a course.

The amendments made by this section shall apply to the first academic year beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Subsection (e)(2)(C)(i) of section 7461 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking 72 hours each place it appears and inserting five calendar days.

Subsection (e)(2)(C)(i) of section 8480 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking 72 hours each place it appears and inserting five calendar days.

Subsection (e)(2)(C)(i) of section 9461 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking 72 hours each place it appears and inserting five calendar days.

Not later than January 1, 2028, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a program using the authority provided under section 2103(b) of title 10, United States Code, to promote the participation of foreign students in the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (in this section referred to as the Program).

The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the Secretaries of the military departments, the commanders of the combatant commands, the participant institutions in the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program, and any other individual the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate, shall be responsible for, and shall oversee, the Program.

The objective of the Program is to promote the readiness and interoperability of the United States Armed Forces and the military forces of partner countries by providing a high-quality, cost effective military-based educational experience for foreign students in furtherance of the military-to-military program objectives of the Department of Defense and to enhance the educational experience and preparation of future United States military leaders through increased, extended interaction with highly qualified potential foreign military leaders.

Under the Program, the Secretary of Defense shall—

(A) identify to the military services’ Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program the foreign students who, based on criteria established by the Secretary, the Secretary recommends be considered for admission under the Program;

(B) coordinate with partner countries to evaluate interest in and promote awareness of the Program;

(C) establish a mechanism for tracking an alumni network of foreign students who participate in the Program; and

(D) to the extent practicable, work with the participant institutions in the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program and partner countries to identify academic institutions and programs that—

(i) have specialized academic programs in areas of study of interest to participating countries; or

(ii) have high participation from or significant diaspora populations from participating countries.

Not later than September 30, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a strategy for the implementation of the Program.

The strategy required by paragraph (1) shall include the following elements:

(A) A governance structure for the Program, including—

(i) the officials tasked to oversee the Program;

(ii) the format of the governing body of the Program;

(iii) the functions and duties of such governing body with respect to establishing and maintaining the Program; and

(iv) mechanisms for coordinating with partner countries whose students are selected to participate in the Program.

(B) A list of additional authorities, appropriations, or other congressional support necessary to ensure the success of the Program.

(C) A description of targeted partner countries and participant institutions in the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps for the first three fiscal years of the Program, including a rationale for selecting such initial partners.

(D) A description of opportunities and potential timelines for future Program expansion, as appropriate.

(E) A description of the mechanism for tracking the alumni network of participants of the Program.

(F) Any other information the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate.

Not later than September 20, 2028, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees (as that term is defined in section 101 of title 10, United States Code) a report on the Program.

Each report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following elements:

(A) A narrative summary of activities conducted as part of the Program during the preceding fiscal year.

(B) An overview of participant Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps programs, individuals, and countries, to include a description of the areas of study entered into by the students participating in the Program.

(C) A description of opportunities and potential timelines for future Program expansion, as appropriate.

(D) Any other information the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate.

The Secretary of Defense may not use the authority provided under this section to pay for tuition or room and board for foreign students who participate in the Program.

The Program shall terminate on December 31, 2032.

Chapter 58 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness shall designate a senior official of the Department of Defense to oversee policy and programs related to the transition of members of the armed forces from active duty to civilian life or reserve components.

The official designated under paragraph (1) shall be designated from among individuals with appropriate experience in military personnel policy, transition assistance, veterans' affairs, or related matters.

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness shall prescribe the roles, responsibilities, and authorities of the official designated under subsection (a).

(2) The roles, responsibilities, and authorities prescribed under paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to the transition of members of the armed forces from active duty to civilian life and reserve components and the families of such members experiencing such transition—

(A) serving as the principal advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness on policies, operations, and programs and activities relating to the transition of members;

(B) assisting the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness with policies, operations, and programs and activities relating to the transition of members;

(C) working, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Education, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of all activities relating to the transition of members;

(D) serving as the principal coordinator for military-to-civilian transition policy within the Department of Defense, with the mission of coordinating and overseeing the effectiveness of transition programs of the Department of Defense and ensuring all members of the armed forces are well equipped for civilian life or the reserve components, as the case may be;

(E) overseeing the implementation of transition programs in the Department of Defense;

(F) conducting a review and assessment of all transition programs and services offered by the Department of Defense, including the programs under this chapter, and proposing legislative or administrative action—

(i) to improve the efficacy and efficiency of the programs; and

(ii) to ensure compliance with all legal requirements related to transition assistance; and

(G) working with Federal agencies, State and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations to improve the delivery of transition support services to members and families of members.

The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness shall designate a senior official under section 1156(a) of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section, not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide a briefing to the congressional defense committees on—

(A) the status of the designation of the official described under subsection (1); and

(B) the implementation of the roles, responsibilities, and authorities of such official.

Section 2007 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in the section heading, by inserting and institution fees after Payment of tuition;

(2) in subsection (a), by striking or expenses and inserting, expenses, or institution fees; and

(3) in subsection (c), by striking or expenses each place it appears and inserting, expenses, or institution fees.

The Secretary of Defense may prescribe regulations increasing the per-semester-hour cap for tuition assistance offered by the military services to not more than $350 per semester-hour.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on Off-Duty and Voluntary Education and Training Account (Accounts) outcomes.

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

(A) Fiscal, volume, compliance, and distribution metrics.

(B) Metrics linking investment in the Accounts to outcomes including educational attainment, recruitment/retention, mission readiness, and transition readiness.

(C) An analysis of compliance with sections 2005, 2006a, and 2007 of title 10, United States Code.

(D) An analysis of the severability of annual ceiling requirements from per-semester-hour caps under part 68 of title 32, Code of Federal Regulations.

The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with each of the States (through the Defense-State Liaison Office of the Department of Defense), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Homeland Security (with respect to matters concerning the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Department of the Navy), shall develop recommendations to improve the transition of medics serving in the Armed Forces into the civilian workforce in health care occupations, including as certified nurse aides, licensed practical nurses, or medical assistants.

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

(1) identify any barriers—

(A) to improving the ability of the Secretary to determine and communicate how the military credentials and experience of a medic separating from the Armed Forces translate to credentialed civilian employment in health care occupations;

(B) that exist to the standardization among the Armed Forces of military medic credentials and experience and the alignment of such credentials and experience to credentialed civilian employment in health care occupations;

(C) that exist to ensuring members of the Armed Forces with military medic credentials and experience have earned the equivalent civilian credential prior to separation from the Armed Forces in addition to receiving their military credentials;

(D) to the increased establishment and uptake of accelerated or bridge programs to assist separating members of the Armed Forces in translating military credentials and experience into civilian health care credentials and employment;

(E) to increasing the availability and accessibility of preparatory activities under the SkillBridge program established under section 1143(e) of title 10, United States Code, in the health care sector for members of the Armed Forces preparing for separation, to include—

(i) the approval timeline for separating members to participate in SkillBridge programs in the health care sector; and

(ii) requirements to return to their duty station for out-processing; and

(F) to providing information on civilian health care credentials and employment under the Transition Assistance Program to medics separating from the Armed Forces, including information on State-by-State licensing and credentialing; and

(2) consider the potential impact of—

(A) clarification by States through legislation, actions of State licensing boards, or actions of State credentialing boards of the civilian equivalents of certain military credentials and experience in health care;

(B) implementation, including through State-provided incentives, of accelerated programs to bridge military medic credentials and experience with civilian health care credentials and licenses;

(C) financial support or incentives by States to increase the availability and accessibility of such programs;

(D) requiring the military departments to align military health care credentials with civilian equivalents; and

(E) tracking and reporting, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Homeland Security (with respect to matters concerning the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Department of the Navy), the number of separated members of the Armed Forces with health care-related military credentials and experience who continue in the civilian health care sector, including the type of employment they pursue.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report containing—

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

(2) a plan to implement those recommendations.

In this section:

The term medic means a member of the Armed Forces acting in a clinical health care-related occupation while serving in the Armed Forces.

The term State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands that have a Defense-State Liaison Office.

The term Transition Assistance Program means the program of the Department of Defense for pre-separation counseling, employment assistance, and other transitional services provided under sections 1142 and 1144 of title 10, United States Code.

Except as provided in subsection (c), the Secretary of Defense may not, by any policy or other action—

(1) prohibit or otherwise restrict the Department of Defense or the military departments from permitting servicemembers to participate in an eligible program at an eligible institution of higher education, as a means to complete an eligible program, including any constituent subsidiary or subelement of such institution, regardless of the source of funds used by the member to pay tuition, fees, or related expenses; or

(2) deny covered funds to members of the Armed Forces who are otherwise eligible for such assistance, or deny covered support to any such member, on the basis that the member has applied to, enrolled in, attends, or has completed an eligible program at an eligible institution of higher education, including any constituent subsidiary or subelement of such institution.

In this section:

The term covered funds means any program, appropriation, or other authority of the Department of Defense to pay, reimburse, or otherwise provide financial assistance for education or training of members of the Armed Forces, including under section 2007 of title 10, United States Code, and any successor authority.

The term covered support means any Department of Defense funding or facilitation of a member’s participation in education or training conducted in whole or in part at an institution of higher education, whether full-time or part-time, other than professional military education programs conducted by the Department of Defense.

The term eligible institution of higher education means an institution that—

(A) is accredited, and maintains accreditation in good standing, by an accrediting agency or association recognized by the Secretary of Education under part H of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1099b et seq.); and

(i) operates a program authorized in section 2006a(a) of title 10, United States Code; or

(ii) offers or administers an eligible program under paragraph (4).

The term eligible program means—

(A) an educational program authorized by law and established by the Department of Defense under which the Department is authorized to provide covered funds or covered support; or

(B) a fellowship, scholarship, degree, certificate, medical residency, grant, or other training or education program in which members of the Armed Forces are authorized to participate that is funded through—

(i) covered funds;

(ii) personal funds;

(iii) authorized outside fellowships, scholarships, or grants; or

(iv) any combination of sources described in clauses (i) though (iii).

The Secretary may restrict attendance under subsection (a)(1), or suspend or terminate the availability of covered funds or covered support under subsection (a)(2), with respect to an otherwise eligible institution of higher education if—

(A) the institution has materially failed to comply with specific terms of a memorandum of understanding, contract, or other educational partnership agreement applicable to the eligible program;

(B) the restriction, suspension, or termination is required to address a specific, articulable national security risk;

(C) the restriction, suspension, or termination is required by a provision of Federal law or is undertaken upon mutual written agreement between the Department and the institution; or

(D) the institution has been convicted of, or has been the subject of a final civil judgment that the institution violated—

(i) the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.) or regulations issued thereunder;

(ii) the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4801 et seq.) or regulations issued thereunder;

(iii) the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) or regulations issued thereunder; or

(iv) Section 1831 of title 18, United States Code (economic espionage).

Any action under paragraph (1) shall be narrowly tailored and implemented using the least disruptive means practicable, including to the maximum extent practicable, applying such action prospectively and permitting enrolled students to finish their current course of study.

In the event that the Secretary believes that a for cause exception has been triggered under subsection (c), the Secretary shall provide for the following:

(1) Not later than 90 days before the proposed termination date, the Secretary shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives and the affected institution written notification, including—

(A) the proposed termination date; and

(B) the factual basis for suspension or termination under subsection (c).

(2) The Secretary shall provide an opportunity for the institution to appeal or dispute the findings and cure any material deficiencies in the written notification within 30 days of receipt of such notification. If at any point the institution demonstrates that they have cured the issue, the Secretary shall re-evaluate the suspension or termination and determine whether the institution has addressed the material deficiencies.

Participation in Department of Defense education programs and activities by institutions of higher education shall be determined based on institution-agnostic eligibility requirements and objective criteria. Nothing in this section shall be construed—

(1) to permit the Secretary to disqualify an institution of higher education from participating in Department of Defense education or training programs or activities on the basis of—

(A) an institution of higher education’s First Amendment rights or its protection of student free speech and association rights under section 112 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1011a.); or

(B) an institution of higher education’s religious character or affiliation;

(2) to require the Secretary of Defense to approve any individual request for covered funds or covered support where the member or the institution of higher education does not meet program-wide, institution-agnostic eligibility or selection requirements;

(3) to restrict the Secretary’s ability to establish institution-agnostic program guidelines, eligibility criteria, or funding caps on covered support programs that are not otherwise inconsistent with this section;

(4) to limit the ability of the Secretary of Defense or the Secretaries of the military departments from entering into program agreements with eligible institutions of higher education to carry out educational programs authorized in law; or

(5) create an entitlement for servicemembers to refuse orders otherwise issued in the due course of normal detailing processes or for military necessity.

The prohibitions in subsection (a) do not apply to an institution of higher education that operates for profit.

Section 105(d)(2) of title 17, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(P) Defense Security Cooperation University.

The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each of the Service Academies (as that term is defined in section 347(d) of title 10, United States Code) may satisfy any standardized testing requirement through scores from any of not fewer than three nationally recognized standardized assessments that are designed to evaluate college readiness and that measure, at a minimum, mathematics, reading, grammar and writing, and analytical reasoning skills. Such assessments may also evaluate critical and logical reasoning, comprehension of literary, historical, or philosophical texts, and other indicators of postsecondary readiness as determined appropriate by the Secretary.

The Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity shall ensure that students enrolled in the eleventh grade are offered the opportunity to take not fewer than three standardized assessments described in subsection (a).

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall issue a Department-wide policy applicable to members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of Defense that—

(1) prohibits the display, possession for display, or use of hate symbols in the workplace or in connection with official duties, including on the body, uniform, civilian work attire, personal equipment, government property, or digital work platforms, including through tattoos, brands, insignia, patches, apparel, or electronic imagery;

(2) establishes uniform minimum standards for identifying and addressing prohibited hate symbols across all military departments and defense agencies;

(3) requires each military department and defense agency to revise its regulations and instructions to comply with such policy; and

(4) provides procedures for review, waiver where appropriate, removal, or remediation consistent with applicable law.

In this section, the term hate symbol —

(A) means any symbol, image, insignia, emblem, tattoo, sign, coded designation, or other visual representation that, in context, would reasonably be understood as expressing, advocating, endorsing, or promoting hatred, unlawful discrimination, violent extremism, or supremacy directed against a protected class or group; and

(B) does not include the good-faith display or use of symbols for legitimate religious, cultural, historical, educational, artistic, intelligence, law enforcement, or investigative purposes where the circumstances do not reasonably indicate support for extremist ideology or unlawful discrimination.

In determining whether a symbol constitutes a hate symbol under this section, the Secretary of Defense shall consider—

(A) the historical and cultural meaning of the symbol;

(B) the manner, context, and location in which the symbol is displayed;

(C) whether the symbol is associated with extremist organizations or ideologies;

(D) whether the display would reasonably be interpreted as communicating support for hatred, discrimination, or violent extremism; and

(E) applicable constitutional, statutory, and religious accommodation protections.

The Secretary of Defense shall—

(1) develop and maintain supplemental guidance and reference materials, in consultation with subject matter experts, to assist commanders, supervisors, human resources personnel, and investigators in identifying hate symbols; and

(2) not less than every three years, review and, if necessary, update such guidance and reference materials in consultation with civil rights experts and organizations with recognized expertise in hate and extremist symbols.

The Secretary of Defense shall incorporate instruction on the hate symbol policy and identification guidance into existing training programs for—

(1) members of the Armed Forces; and

(2) civilian employees of the Department of Defense;

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, each military department and defense agency shall certify compliance with the requirements under this section.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall brief the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives on the implementation of this provision.

Of the amount authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 by section 301 and available for operation and maintenance for Defense-wide activities as specified in the funding table in section 4301, $50,000,000 shall be available only for the purpose of providing assistance to local educational agencies under subsection (a) of section 572 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109–163; 20 U.S.C. 7703b).

In this subsection, the term local educational agency has the meaning given that term in section 7013(9) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7713(9)).

Of the amount authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 pursuant to section 301 and available for operation and maintenance for Defense-wide activities as specified in the funding table in section 4301, $10,000,000 shall be available for payments under section 363 of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (as enacted into law by Public Law 106–398; 114 Stat. 1654A–77; 20 U.S.C. 7703a).

Of the amount authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2027 pursuant to section 301 and available for operation and maintenance for Defense-wide activities as specified in the funding table in section 4301, $20,000,000 shall be available for use by the Secretary of Defense to make payments to local educational agencies determined by the Secretary to have higher concentrations of military children with severe disabilities.

Not later than September 30, 2027, the Secretary shall brief the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives on the Department’s evaluation of each local educational agency with higher concentrations of military children with severe disabilities and subsequent determination of the amounts of impact aid each such agency shall receive.

The Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity shall ensure that each school district of such Activity has, at a minimum, one staff member dedicated to facilitating educational technology and related matters.

A staff member described in subsection (a) shall, at a minimum—

(1) ensure classroom technologies meet policy requirements and the needs of students and teachers;

(2) assist administrators, curriculum teams, instructional support specialists, and teachers in developing and modeling learning opportunities to make the best use of technology in the classroom;

(3) assist in the implementation of technology integration; and

(4) perform other duties related to educational technology as assigned.

Not later than February 1, 2028, the Director shall brief the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives on—

(1) the implementation of subsections (a) and (b); and

(2) any recommendations for changes to policy or statutes to ensure that the Department of Defense Education Activity has sufficient staff and resources to support the use of beneficial technology in classrooms.

Section 1798(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking the semicolon and inserting; and;

(2) by striking paragraph (2); and

(3) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (2).

The Secretary of Defense may seek to enter into an interagency partnership with a Federal agency with the ability to place individuals described in paragraph (2) in military child development centers in accordance with national service laws and with all the benefits accorded to such individuals under those laws.

An individual described in this paragraph is a participant, including a volunteer or national senior volunteer, under the national service laws who is trained in education services and is in compliance with hiring requirements for military child development centers.

In this subsection, the terms participant and national service laws have the meanings given those terms in section 101 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12511)).

The Secretary of Defense shall standardize the collection and reporting of data related to child care capacity, workforce readiness, and waitlists across the Armed Forces and military installations.

In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall, at a minimum, require the collection and reporting of data with respect to the following:

(1) Child care capacity and utilization, disaggregated by branch of the Armed Forces and military installation.

(2) Child care workforce staffing levels, vacancies, turnover rates, and compensation ranges, disaggregated by branch of the Armed Forces and military installation.

(3) Child care waitlists, disaggregated by—

(A) children that are currently at home with a parent;

(B) children that are currently being cared for by family members, friends, neighbors, or nannies;

(C) children that are currently receiving care through—

(i) a military child development center (as defined in section 1800 of title 10, United States Code) other than the center for which the children are on the waitlist;

(ii) a military family child care program, including identification of whether the program is supported by subsidies provided by the Department of Defense under section 1796 of title 10, United States Code; or

(iii) community-based child care, including identification of whether such care is supported by financial assistance provided by the Department through the Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood program under section 1798 of title 10, United States Code;

(D) families requiring child care during nontraditional hours; and

(E) children for whom sufficient information is not available to categorize care status, including as a result of incomplete or self-reported data.

(4) Demand for child care by age cohort, with specific identification of the demand for child care for children under age 5.

(5) Utilization and attrition data for fee assistance programs.

(6) Geographic areas with persistent unmet child care needs.

The Secretary shall—

(1) analyze data on child care waitlists collected under subsection (b), including—

(A) the extent of duplicate entries across military installations or child care programs; and

(B) the proportion of waitlist entries that—

(i) reflect unmet need for child care; and

(ii) reflect unmet preference for specific child care programs; and

(2) take steps to resolve discrepancies in such data, including duplicate waitlist entries and inclusion of children on waitlists who are receiving care.

The Secretary may prescribe such regulations as are necessary to carry out this section.

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall brief the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives on—

(A) existing systems and reporting practices used to track data related to child care capacity, workforce readiness, and waitlists;

(B) the quality, completeness, and limitations of data available as of the date of the briefing;

(C) actions underway to standardize data collection and reporting across the Department of Defense; and

(D) a plan, including timelines, to improve standardization of data collection and reporting.

Not later than December 31, 2027, and annually thereafter for three years, the Secretary shall brief the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives on—

(A) data collected under subsection (b);

(B) trends in child care capacity, workforce readiness, and unmet demand, disaggregated by branch of the Armed Forces and geographic region;

(C) actions taken to address identified gaps in child care availability, including actions taken by each branch of the Armed Forces and in each geographic region; and

(D) any recommendations for legislative or administrative action to improve collection and reporting of data related to child care capacity, workforce readiness, and waitlists.

Not later than January 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall issue or revise policy relating to the pay system for employees of child and youth programs operated by nonappropriated fund instrumentalities to implement the requirements of section 589A of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–59; 10 U.S.C. 1792 note).

The policy required to be issued or revised under subsection (a) shall—

(1) incorporate a revised staffing model for child development programs that includes positions—

(A) to facilitate classroom operations and provide direct support to staff of child development programs; and

(B) to coordinate and support the needs of children with special needs and provide direct support to personnel working with such children;

(2) modify the pay band structure and compensation rates to improve recruitment and retention of employees of child and youth programs described in subsection (a); and

(3) provide for the implementation of the policy as soon as practicable, subject to the availability of appropriations.

In this section, the term nonappropriated fund instrumentality has the meaning given that term in section 2488 of title 10, United States Code.

Subchapter I of chapter 88 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1784a the following new section:

Not later than April 1, 2028, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a fellowship program for military spouses, to be known as the Department of Defense Military Spouse Fellowship Program (in this section referred to as the Program), to enhance career opportunities for military spouses and to support the readiness of military families.

Under the Program, a component of the Department of Defense selected by the Secretary under subsection (c)(1) shall provide to fellowships to military spouses.

A fellowship under the Program—

(A) shall be for a term of not less than 12 months and not more than 24 months;

(B) may be full time or part time, with a preference for full time; and

(C) may be an in-person or remote position.

A fellow under the Program shall be compensated at a rate of pay under the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5 appropriate to the role of the fellow.

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

(1) select components of the Department of Defense to participate in the Program based on strategic workforce planning and demonstrated need;

(2) ensure that fellowships offered by components of the Department of Defense selected under paragraph (1) are available across a range of grade levels and provide for a wide array of career fields and experiences; and

(3) ensure that the Program has the funding and other resources to provide for not less than 500 full-time equivalent fellowships each year.

A component of the Department of Defense selected under subsection (c)(1) to participate in the Program shall be responsible for—

(A) providing a meaningful fellowship experience to fellows in the component, including through the provision of professional development and mentorship opportunities;

(B) documenting the performance of fellows during the terms of their fellowships; and

(C) subject to paragraph (2), making every effort to identify permanent positions within the component to which a fellow may be non-competitively converted at the end of the term of the fellowship.

The conversion under paragraph (1)(C) of a fellowship under the Program to a permanent position shall be contingent upon the performance of the fellow, the availability of a permanent position, and the availability of funding.

In this section, the term military spouse means any individual who is married (within the meaning of section 7703 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986), as of the first date on which the individual is employed by a component of the Department of Defense under this section, to a member of the uniformed services serving on active duty.

Not later than March 1, 2028, the Secretary of Defense shall require each of the Armed Forces to have in place a policy for achieving, as a secondary consideration during the process of assigning members to duty stations, colocation of covered couples.

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

(1) ensure that, in assigning a member of the Armed Forces who is part of a covered couple to a duty station—

(A) the primary considerations are the member’s current qualifications and ability to fill a valid mission requirement; and

(B) colocation is a secondary consideration, to maximize the opportunities for continued employment of the civilian employee of the Department of Defense through all flexibilities available;

(2) ensure civilian personnel policies and processes of the Department are updated to facilitate colocation; and

(3) provide resources, training, and additional flexibilities where appropriate to the Armed Forces and human resources managers of the Department to facilitate retention of civilian employees of the Department during permanent change of station moves of members of the Armed Forces who are part of a covered couple.

In this section:

The term civilian employee of the Department of Defense —

(A) means an employee (as defined in section 2105 of title 5, United States Code) of the Department of Defense;

(B) includes—

(i) a nonappropriated fund instrumentality employee (as defined in section 1587(a) of title 10, United States Code); and

(ii) a temporary employee of the Department; and

(C) does not include an employee of a contractor of the Department of Defense.

The term colocation, with respect to a covered couple, means assigning the member of the Armed Forces to a duty location in a manner that results in the retention of the civilian employee of the Department of Defense at the same pay grade and in the same job series within any component of the Department, whether through remote work, alternate work site arrangements, a reassignment, or an internal transfer.

The term covered couple means a couple in which a member of the Armed Forces serving on active duty and a civilian employee of the Department of Defense are married to each other.

Not later than April 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall initiate a review of how the Exceptional Family Member Program (in this section referred to as the Program) affects assignment decisions, continuity of care, access to medical, behavioral health, and educational services, and retention and career progression of members across the Armed Forces.

The review required by subsection (a) shall—

(1) identify military installations where families with an individual in the Program face unavailable, limited, or difficult-to-access services;

(2) assess whether current assignment screening and coordination processes under the Program—

(A) are effectively ensuring that such families are assigned to locations where needed services are reasonably available; and

(B) adequately evaluate the availability, timeliness, and continuity of educational services and related supports required under an existing individualized education program, individualized family service plan, or other applicable educational accommodation for an individual in the Program, including whether families experience significant delays, gaps, or barriers in obtaining comparable services after relocation;

(3) evaluate the impact of enrollment of a family member in the Program on assignment opportunities, assignment stability, and readiness of members of the Armed Forces; and

(4) identify best practices across the military departments for improving continuity of care and assignment stability for families with an individual in the Program.

Not later than April 30, 2028, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the results of the review that includes a corrective action plan describing steps—

(1) to improve assignment screening for families with an individual in the Program;

(2) to increase transparency regarding the availability of services at military installations;

(3) to improve how the Department of Defense assesses the availability of educational services at assignment locations and reduces disruptions in implementation of such services following a permanent change of station;

(4) to improve coordination among military treatment facilities, the TRICARE program (as defined in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code), and civilian services providers; and

(5) to strengthen relocation support for families with an individual in the Program while moving between duty stations.

The Secretary of Defense shall require all counselors assigned to a Family Advocacy Program or Military and Family Life program at a military installation in the United States to be trained in the requirements and resources relating to foster care of the State in which the installation is located.

A counselor who has received training under paragraph (1) shall be known as a foster care liaison.

The Secretary shall require Military OneSource to include a mechanism for military families to obtain information on foster care, including the requirements and resources relating to foster care of each State.

The Secretary may consult with the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services to obtain resources relating to foster care for military families, including curricula for training under subsection (a).

Section 585 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117–81; 135 Stat. 1759) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a)(2), by striking through 2027 and inserting through 2032; and

(2) in subsection (b)—

(A) by redesignating paragraph (9) as paragraph (10); and

(B) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following new paragraph:

(9) A description of gaps between senior and junior enlisted security forces personnel that could hinder effective oversight and leadership at each PL-1 location and actions needed to remedy such gaps.

Not later than January 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries concerned shall update Department of Defense issuances governing the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) program, including the applicable Department of Defense Instruction, to—

(1) reflect current statutory requirements relating to the minimum number of Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units, including any increases enacted in recent National Defense Authorization Acts, and the plan of the Secretary to achieve and sustain such minimums;

(2) an evaluation plan to assess the effects of the JROTC Standardized Instructor Pay Scale, or any successor pay system, on recruitment and retention of JROTC instructors, including the implementation and utilization of the temporary authority to provide bonuses to such instructors under section 546 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 10 U.S.C. 2031 note); and

(3) standardized metrics for measuring JROTC instructor recruiting outcomes and retention rates across the military services.

The evaluation plan required under subsection (a) shall include, at a minimum, metrics relating to—

(1) instructor vacancy rates and time-to-hire;

(2) retention rates and length of service;

(3) geographic variation in recruiting and retention outcomes, including high-cost-of-living areas, rural, urban, and geographically isolated locations;

(4) comparisons between outcomes under the legacy pay system and the JSIPS;

(5) the identification of recruiting efforts used to attract instructor applicants, including data on how applicants learned about available instructor positions;

(6) the number of applicants who begin, complete, or withdraw from the instructor hiring process, including the interview and background investigation stages;

(7) the number of applicants who accept or decline instructor position offers, including to the extent practicable, information on the reasons offers were declined;

(8) the number, amount, and distribution of bonuses provided to JROTC instructors under section 546 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 10 U.S.C. 2031 note), disaggregated by military department, geographic location, and instructor type, as well as any identified barriers to use of the authority; and

(9) any other matters the Secretary determines appropriate.

Not later than one year after the issuance of the updated guidance under subsection (a), and annually thereafter for two years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report that includes—

(1) a description of the updated guidance and implementation status;

(2) baseline data and metrics collected using the metrics developed under subsection (a);

(3) an assessment of the effects of the pay scale on recruitment and retention;

(4) an assessment of the effectiveness of the bonus authority authorized by section 546 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 10 U.S.C. 2031 note) in improving recruitment and retention of JROTC instructors, including whether such authority should be modified, extended, or made permanent; and

(5) any recommendations for legislative or administrative action.

The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that, by not later than October 1, 2027, each secondary school operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity that meets the eligibility requirements for establishment and maintenance of a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps unit under section 2031 of title 10, United States Code, establishes and maintains such a unit.

The Secretary may waive the requirement under subsection (a) with respect to a school described in that subsection if the Secretary determines that the school will not be able to meet a threshold for enrollment in a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps unit sufficient to sustain the viability of the unit over time.

Section 592 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 139 Stat. 899) is amended by striking posthumous in the section heading.

Notwithstanding the time limitations specified in section 7274 of title 10, United States Code, or any other time limitation with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons who served in the Armed Forces, the Secretary of the Army may award the Distinguished-Service Cross under section 7272 of such title to Joseph P. Lynch for the acts of valor in the Republic of Vietnam described in subsection (b).

The acts of valor referred to in subsection (a) are the actions of Joseph P. Lynch on April 17, 1968, during a combat mission near Khe Sanh, Republic of Vietnam for which he was previously awarded the Silver Star.

Section 7274 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(d) A time limitation under this section may not be waived unless the Secretary of the Army first submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives the unredacted package of information considered by the Secretary, including all relevant information relating to any reconsideration of an award.

Section 8298 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(c) A time limitation under this section may not be waived unless the Secretary of the Navy first submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives the unredacted package of information considered by the Secretary, including all relevant information relating to any reconsideration of an award.

Section 9274 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(d) A time limitation under this section may not be waived unless the Secretary of the Air Force first submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives the unredacted package of information considered by the Secretary, including all relevant information relating to any reconsideration of an award.

Chapter 737 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 7274 the following new section:

(1) The Secretary of the Army is responsible for establishing and maintaining procedures for the review of Medal of Honor recommendations submitted pursuant to this chapter, including recommendations submitted within statutory time limits under section 7274(b) of this title, recommendations lost or not acted upon due to inadvertence under section 7274(c) of this title, and recommendations submitted pursuant to section 1130 of this title upon request of a Member of Congress.

(2) Each Medal of Honor recommendation forwarded by the Secretary of the Army to the Secretary of Defense shall—

(A) include the recommendation of an independent board of review convened specifically to consider the award of the proposed Medal of Honor;

(B) contain the recommendation of the Secretary of the Army;

(C) include the recommendation of the Chief of Staff of the Army; and

(D) contain incontestable proof that the member distinguished himself or herself in accordance with the requirements of section 7271 of this title.

(3) Upon receipt of a Medal of Honor recommendation, the Secretary of Defense shall—

(A) obtain the advisory recommendation of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the merits of the nomination; and

(B) for nominations submitted within the time limits prescribed by section 7274(b) of this title, or for actions arising from ongoing combat or military operations, obtain through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff the advisory recommendation of the applicable combatant commander.

(4) The Secretary of Defense shall include the Secretary's recommendation to the President for any Medal of Honor recommendation determined to satisfy the criteria in section 7271 of this title.

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, reconsideration of a previously reviewed Medal of Honor nomination, or upgrade of a previously approved award to the Medal of Honor, may be initiated only upon a showing of—

(A) new, substantive, and material evidence that was not available at the time of the original recommendation and that was not previously considered by the awarding authority; or

(B) material error or impropriety in the processing or adjudication of the original recommendation, including loss of substantiating documents or witness statements during original routing, clearly incorrect application of official policy, or substantiated discrimination based on race, sex, or religion, provided that any such conclusion is supported by a preponderance of the evidence.

(2) Information that adds detail to facts already presented in the original recommendation, but is not new, substantive, or material, does not satisfy the requirement under paragraph (1)(A) for new, substantive, and material evidence.

(3) Authority to determine whether the requirements of paragraph (1) have been satisfied is as follows:

(A) The Secretary of Defense shall determine whether material error or impropriety existed in any prior award case adjudicated within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. This authority may not be delegated.

(B) The Secretary of the Army shall determine whether material error or impropriety existed in any case previously adjudicated within the Department of the Army. This authority may not be delegated.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the President to award the Medal of Honor pursuant to section 7271 of this title or to modify the time limitations established in section 7274 of this title except as provided herein.

Chapter 837 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 8298 the following new section:

(1) The Secretary of the Navy is responsible for establishing and maintaining procedures for the review of Medal of Honor recommendations submitted pursuant to this chapter, including recommendations submitted within statutory time limits under section 8298 (a) of this title, recommendations lost or not acted upon due to inadvertence under section 8298(b) of this title, and recommendations submitted pursuant to section 1130 of this title upon request of a Member of Congress.

(2) Each Medal of Honor recommendation forwarded by the Secretary of the Navy to the Secretary of Defense shall—

(A) include the recommendation of an independent board of review convened specifically to consider the award of the proposed Medal of Honor;

(B) contain the recommendation of the Secretary of the Navy;

(C) include the recommendation of the Chief of Staff of the Navy; and

(D) contain incontestable proof that the member distinguished himself or herself in accordance with the requirements of section 8291 of this title.

(3) Upon receipt of a Medal of Honor recommendation, the Secretary of Defense shall—

(A) obtain the advisory recommendation of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the merits of the nomination; and

(B) for nominations submitted within the time limits prescribed by section 8298(a) of this title, or for actions arising from ongoing combat or military operations, obtain through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff the advisory recommendation of the applicable combatant commander.

(4) The Secretary of Defense shall include the Secretary's recommendation to the President for any Medal of Honor recommendation determined to satisfy the criteria in section 8291 of this title.

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, reconsideration of a previously reviewed Medal of Honor nomination, or upgrade of a previously approved award to the Medal of Honor, may be initiated only upon a showing of—

(A) new, substantive, and material evidence that was not available at the time of the original recommendation and that was not previously considered by the awarding authority; or

(B) material error or impropriety in the processing or adjudication of the original recommendation, including loss of substantiating documents or witness statements during original routing, clearly incorrect application of official policy, or substantiated discrimination based on race, sex, or religion, provided that any such conclusion is supported by a preponderance of the evidence.

(2) Information that adds detail to facts already presented in the original recommendation, but is not new, substantive, or material, does not satisfy the requirement under paragraph (1)(A) for new, substantive, and material evidence.

(3) Authority to determine whether the requirements of paragraph (1) have been satisfied is as follows:

(A) The Secretary of Defense shall determine whether material error or impropriety existed in any prior award case adjudicated within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. This authority may not be delegated.

(B) The Secretary of the Navy shall determine whether material error or impropriety existed in any case previously adjudicated within the Department of the Navy. This authority may not be delegated.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the President to award the Medal of Honor pursuant to section 8291 of this title or to modify the time limitations established in section 8298 of this title except as provided herein.

Chapter 937 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 9274 the following new section:

(1) The Secretary of the Air Force is responsible for establishing and maintaining procedures for the review of Medal of Honor recommendations submitted pursuant to this chapter, including recommendations submitted within statutory time limits under section 9274(b) of this title, recommendations lost or not acted upon due to inadvertence under section 9274(c) of this title, and recommendations submitted pursuant to section 1130 of this title upon request of a Member of Congress.

(2) Each Medal of Honor recommendation forwarded by the Secretary of the Air Force to the Secretary of Defense shall—

(A) include the recommendation of an independent board of review convened specifically to consider the award of the proposed Medal of Honor;

(B) contain the recommendation of the Secretary of the Air Force;

(C) include the recommendation of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; and

(D) contain incontestable proof that the member distinguished himself or herself in accordance with the requirements of section 9271 of this title.

(3) Upon receipt of a Medal of Honor recommendation, the Secretary of Defense shall—

(A) obtain the advisory recommendation of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the merits of the nomination; and

(B) for nominations submitted within the time limits prescribed by section 9274(b) of this title, or for actions arising from ongoing combat or military operations, obtain through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff the advisory recommendation of the applicable combatant commander.

(4) The Secretary of Defense shall include the Secretary's recommendation to the President for any Medal of Honor recommendation determined to satisfy the criteria in section 9271 of this title.

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, reconsideration of a previously reviewed Medal of Honor nomination, or upgrade of a previously approved award to the Medal of Honor, may be initiated only upon a showing of—

(A) new, substantive, and material evidence that was not available at the time of the original recommendation and that was not previously considered by the awarding authority; or

(B) material error or impropriety in the processing or adjudication of the original recommendation, including loss of substantiating documents or witness statements during original routing, clearly incorrect application of official policy, or substantiated discrimination based on race, sex, or religion, provided that any such conclusion is supported by a preponderance of the evidence.

(2) Information that adds detail to facts already presented in the original recommendation, but is not new, substantive, or material, does not satisfy the requirement under paragraph (1)(A) for new, substantive, and material evidence.

(3) Authority to determine whether the requirements of paragraph (1) have been satisfied is as follows:

(A) The Secretary of Defense shall determine whether material error or impropriety existed in any prior award case adjudicated within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. This authority may not be delegated.

(B) The Secretary of the Air Force shall determine whether material error or impropriety existed in any case previously adjudicated within the Department of the Air Force. This authority may not be delegated.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the President to award the Medal of Honor pursuant to section 9271 of this title or to modify the time limitations established in section 9274 of this title except as provided herein.

Section 1130 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

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

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

(d) Proposals to be considered under this section must originate before the military service concerned operationalized a standardized, online, awards review process.

(1) An exception to the time limitations under this section shall be granted for a member or former member of the armed forces whose recommendation for a decoration could not be processed due to the classification of the details of the act, achievement, or service. In such cases, a recommendation for a decoration may be considered if it is submitted within three years of the date the information providing the necessary evidence is declassified.

(2) For purposes of the exception under paragraph (1), the term 'declassification' includes—

(A) information released through the automatic declassification mechanisms established under Executive Order 13526 (or any successor order), including the 10-year, 25-year, 50-year, or 75-year automatic declassification timelines; and

(B) information released through a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) or a request under section 552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the Freedom of Information Act).

Section 1552 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking subsection (j); and

(2) by redesignating subsection (k) as subsection (j).

Not later than March 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives the following information on all decorations awarded under the authorities of sections 7271, 7272, 7279, 8291, 8292, 8295, 9271, 9272, and 9279 of title 10, United States Code, between the January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2026:

(1) Unredacted copies of all supporting documentation, material matters, and information considered by boards of review, the chain of command, and any party employed by the Department of Defense, including the Secretary of Defense, who evaluated the merits of, offered a recommendation about, or approved the decorations.

(2) Unredacted copies of all recommendations made by boards of review, the chain of command, and any party employed by the Department of Defense, including the Secretary of Defense, pertaining to the awarding of the decorations.

(3) For those decorations approved by the Secretary of Defense or the Secretaries of the military departments, a written justification of the basis for awarding such decoration.

(4) A description of the legal authority under which each of the decorations was awarded.

Not later than March 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on each of the decorations awarded in (a) and whether any legal discrepancies or errors exist in the awarding of such decorations, along with a legislative proposal to correct any errors so identified.

Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2027 for operation and maintenance, defense wide, and available for the Office of the Secretary of Defense for travel expenses, not more than 90 percent may be obligated or expended until the Secretary of Defense has submitted all documentation for each award specified under subsection (a) to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Section 452(j)(1) of title 37, United States Code, is amended by striking more than 50 miles and inserting to a permanent duty assignment location requiring one-way travel of more than 100 miles.

Section 452(j) of title 37, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a), shall apply to travel on or after January 1, 2028.

Section 623 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159; 138 Stat. 1933) is amended by striking subsections (b) and (c).

Not later than September 30, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing the following elements:

(1) The estimated marginal cost of implementation of subsection (j) of section 452 of title 37, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a), to the Department of Defense, and, for members of the Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, disaggregated by reserve component.

(2) The estimated total number of members of the Armed Forces who would be affected by implementation of such subsection (j).

(3) Any recommended change to such subsection in order to improve efficacy or implementation.

(4) Any other matter that the Secretary determines appropriate.

The adjustment to become effective during fiscal year 2027 required by section 1009 of title 37, United States Code, in the rates of monthly basic pay authorized members of the uniformed services shall not be made.

Effective on January 1, 2027, the rates of monthly basic pay for members of the uniformed services are increased by 3.6 percent.

Section 453 of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(1) The Secretary concerned may reimburse a member of the armed forces described in paragraph (2) for the costs described in paragraph (3).

(2) A member is described in this paragraph if—

(A) the duty station of the member is a remote or isolated installation (as defined in section 4705 of title 10);

(B) the member lives more than 30 miles, or has a commute of longer than one hour, from the member's residence to the member's duty station; and

(C) the member is unable to live closer to that duty station because of a lack of affordable housing and essential services near the duty station.

(3) The costs described in this paragraph are—

(i) the average cost of fuel for the distance the member travels from the member's residence to the member's duty location; and

(ii) a percentage, to be determined by the Secretary of Defense, of costs associated with maintenance and wear-and-tear on the vehicle of the member as a result of commuting; or

(B) if available, the cost of taking public transportation from the member's residence to the member's duty location.

(4) The Secretary of Defense shall establish guidelines for administering this subsection, including guidelines with respect to—

(A) how a member can apply for reimbursement under this subsection; and

(B) verification of—

(i) the distance a member travels from the member's residence to the member's duty location, which may be accomplished through a combination of housing records and tools for measuring distance using the Global Positioning System; and

(ii) the lack of affordable housing and essential services near the member's duty station.

Section 910(g) of title 37, United States Code, relating to income replacement payments for reserve component members experiencing extended and frequent mobilization for active duty service, is amended by striking December 31, 2026 and inserting December 31, 2027.

The following sections of title 10, United States Code, are amended by striking December 31, 2026 and inserting December 31, 2027 :

(1) Section 2130a(a)(1), relating to nurse officer candidate accession program.

(2) Section 16302(d), relating to repayment of education loans for certain health professionals who serve in the Selected Reserve.

Section 333(i) of title 37, United States Code, is amended by striking December 31, 2026 and inserting December 31, 2027.

The following sections of title 37, United States Code, are amended by striking December 31, 2026 and inserting December 31, 2027 :

(1) Section 331(h), relating to general bonus authority for enlisted members.

(2) Section 332(g), relating to general bonus authority for officers.

(3) Section 334(i), relating to special aviation incentive pay and bonus authorities for officers.

(4) Section 335(k), relating to special bonus and incentive pay authorities for officers in health professions.

(5) Section 336(g), relating to contracting bonus for cadets and midshipmen enrolled in the Senior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.

(6) Section 351(h), relating to hazardous duty pay.

(7) Section 352(g), relating to assignment pay or special duty pay.

(8) Section 353(i), relating to skill incentive pay or proficiency bonus.

(9) Section 355(h), relating to retention incentives for members qualified in critical military skills or assigned to high priority units.

Section 403(b) of title 37, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in paragraph (7)(E), relating to an area covered by a major disaster declaration or containing an installation experiencing an influx of military personnel, by striking December 31, 2026 and inserting December 31, 2027; and

(2) in paragraph (8)(C), relating to an area where actual housing costs differ from current rates by more than 20 percent, by striking December 31, 2026 and inserting December 31, 2027.

Section 334(c)(1)(B) of title 37, United States Code, is amended by striking $50,000 and inserting $60,000.

Section 335(c)(2) of title 37, United States Code, is amended by inserting or holds a comparable qualifying Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, as determined by the Secretary concerned, after is board certified.

Section 336 of title 37, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (b), by striking $5,000 and inserting $15,000; and

(2) in subsection (c)(1), by striking field training or a practice cruise under section 2104(b)(6)(A)(ii) of title 10 and inserting training requirements prescribed by the Secretary concerned.

Section 351(b) of title 37, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking $450 and inserting $600; and

(2) in paragraph (2), by striking $275 and inserting $400.

Section 439(b) of title 37, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in paragraph (2), by striking has been certified and inserting was initially certified;

(2) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; and

(3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new paragraph (3):

(3) has been recertified (if required), by a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant, as in need of such assistance;.

Chapter 54 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by redesignating sections 1061 through 1066 as sections 1062 through 1067, respectively; and

(2) by inserting before section 1062, as so redesignated, the following new section:

The following categories of individuals may access commissary stores:

(A) Members of the uniformed services, as follows:

(i) Members of the armed forces on active duty.

(ii) Members of the National Guard and reserve components in any duty status under this title or title 32.

(iii) Members of the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service.

(iv) Members of the commissioned officer corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including wage-marine personnel authorized under section 264 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps Act of 2002 (33 U.S.C. 3074) to access commissary stores.

(v) Cadets and midshipmen of the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy, and the United States Coast Guard Academy.

(B) Retired members of the uniformed services, as follows:

(i) All members carried on the official retired lists of the uniformed services who are entitled to or eligible for retired or retainer pay.

(ii) Retired wage-marine personnel of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its predecessor services.

(iii) Retired officers and crews of the former Lighthouse Service.

(C) Other former members of the uniformed services, as follows:

(i) Veterans—

(I) discharged or released from service in the armed forces under honorable conditions; and

(II) who are hospitalized in facilities where commissary stores are available.

(ii) Any other retired or former members or veterans expressly entitled under this title to access commissary stores.

(D) Dependents (as defined in section 1072 of this title) of any individual described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C), including surviving spouses and dependents of members or veterans described in subparagraph (B) or (C).

(E) Civilian employees of the Department of Defense and nonappropriated fund instrumentality employees (as defined in section 1587(a) of this title) who are—

(i) are assigned to a military installation—

(I) outside the United States; or

(II) in a commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States; or

(ii) are designated by the Secretary concerned as serving in a mission-critical occupation or a position experiencing a significant staffing shortage.

(F) Subject to paragraph (3)(D), civilian employees of other Federal agencies when serving outside the United States, or in a commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States, pursuant to a written support agreement authorized under section 2470 of this title or other formal interagency agreement with the Department of Defense.

(G) Subject to paragraph (3)(D), employees of United States nongovernmental organizations or firms working outside the United States, or in a commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States, under contracts with the Department of Defense.

(H) Civil service mariners of the Military Sealift Command and the Army Corps of Engineers.

(I) Nuclear materials couriers (as defined in section 8331 of title 5).

In addition to the categories of individuals described in paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense may authorize access to commissary stores for the following categories of individuals in the following circumstances:

(A) Employees of the Defense Commissary Agency assigned to commissary stores within the United States, for personal, on-premise consumption during meals and authorized breaks within scheduled working hours.

(B) Civilian officials of the Department of Defense appointed by the President who reside in Government quarters on military installations and family members of such officials who reside with such officials.

(C) Officers and enlisted personnel of the military services of foreign countries when on duty with the United States armed forces or under reciprocal agreements.

(D) Representatives and employees of the American National Red Cross, United Service Organizations, the United Seamen’s Service, the Armed Services Young Men’s Christian Association, and the Fisher House Foundation when assigned to duty with or in direct support of the armed forces—

(i) outside the United States; or

(ii) in a commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

(E) Personal agents designated in writing by the commander of a military installation to shop on behalf of individuals who are authorized to access commissary stores under this subsection.

(F) Individuals or employees of entities granted temporary access, when such access is necessary to restore or sustain military operations, during—

(i) federally declared disasters (as defined in section 1065 of this title); or

(ii) humanitarian relief or other emergency operations.

(G) Members of the armed forces who are involuntarily separated as a result of force reshaping during the two-year period following such separation.

(H) Members of the armed forces who receive sole survivorship discharges described in section 1174(i) of this title during the two-year period following such separation.

An individual is authorized to access commissary stores under this subsection for only so long as the qualifying status, employment, or assignment of the individual remains applicable or as otherwise provided by statute.

This subsection does not authorize access to commissary stores in foreign countries where treaties or international agreements prohibit such access.

The authority under this subsection—

(i) may not be used to establish a broad or permanent category of individuals authorized to access commissary stores other than a category specifically authorized by this subsection; and

(ii) shall be implemented in a manner that ensures no additional funds are required to be appropriated.

In the case of an individual described in subparagraph (F) or (G) of paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense may impose a fee or surcharge, or use another mechanism, as necessary to offset the administrative costs of providing the individual access to commissary stores.

Except as expressly authorized by an Act of Congress, the Secretary of Defense, and any other official or employee of the Department of Defense, may not expand eligibility for access to commissary stores to any additional individual or category of individuals by regulation, policy, memorandum, or other administrative action.

The categories of individuals authorized to access commissary stores under subsection (a) are also authorized to access the military exchange system operated by the Department of Defense, including the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, the Navy Exchange Service Command, and the Marine Corps Exchange.

Civilian employees of the Department of Defense and nonappropriated fund instrumentality employees (as defined in section 1587(a) of this title), and nuclear materials couriers (as defined in section 8331 of title 5), are authorized to access military exchange stores located in the United States and in the commonwealths, territories, or possessions of the United States, including for the purchase of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages.

Veterans discharged or released from service in the armed forces under honorable conditions are authorized to access the online military exchange system, consistent with the policy of the Department of Defense in effect before the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 governing remote sales of the military exchange system.

Access to the military exchange system authorized under this paragraph does not—

(i) include authorization to purchase military uniforms; or

(ii) extend to any other programs, facilities, or services operated by nonappropriated fund activities of the Department of Defense for the morale, welfare, and recreation of members of the armed forces.

An individual is authorized to access the military exchange system under this subsection for only so long as the qualifying status, employment, or assignment of the individual remains applicable or as otherwise provided by statute.

Except as provided by paragraph (2)(C) or as expressly authorized by an Act of Congress, the Secretary of Defense, and any other officer or employee of the Department of Defense, may not expand eligibility for access to the military exchange system to any additional individual, or category of individuals by regulation, policy, memorandum, or other administrative action.

The Secretary of Defense may authorize temporary access to commissary stores and the military exchange system for a period of not more than one year for categories of individuals not covered by subsection (a) or (b) if—

(A) those individuals are otherwise authorized to access military installations; and

(B) the Secretary—

(i) notifies the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the authorization; and

(ii) includes in that notification a description of the categories of individuals authorized to access the military exchange system and the rationale for authorizing such access.

The Secretary is authorized to renew an authorization for temporary access provided under paragraph (1) for additional periods of not more than one year each if, for each renewal, the Secretary submits the notification required by paragraph (1)(B) not fewer than 60 days before the effective date of the renewal.

Chapter 54 of title 10, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a), is further amended—

(1) in section 1063(c), by striking section 1063 and inserting section 1064;

(2) in section 1065(c)(2), by striking section 1063(e) and inserting section 1064;

(3) in section 1066(h)(1)(A), by striking section 1063(e) and inserting section 1064; and

(4) in section 1067(c)(1), by striking section 1063 and inserting section 1064.

Section 2483 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(8) Construction, repair, improvement, and maintenance of physical infrastructure (as defined in section 2484(h)(1)(B) of this title).; and

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

Amounts used for construction under subsection (b)(8) shall be subject to the requirements and limitations under section 2805 of this title.

The Secretary of Defense may carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility of, demand for, and financial impact of extending access to commissary stores to civilian employees of the Department of Defense while maintaining the benefit of such access for members and retired members of the Armed Forces and their families.

Under the pilot program authorized by subsection (a), the Secretary may provide access to a commissary store selected for participation in the pilot program under subsection (c) to full-time civilian employees of the Department of Defense and nonappropriated fund instrumentality employees (as defined in section 1587(a) of this title) who are assigned to a location within the vicinity of the military installation where the store is located.

The Secretary—

(1) may select up to 16 commissary stores within the continental United States to participate in the pilot program authorized by subsection (a); and

(2) in making selections under paragraph (1), shall ensure representation of diverse geographic regions and types of military installations.

The Secretary may impose a fee or surcharge, or use another mechanism—

(1) to offset the administrative costs of providing access to commissary stores to employees described in subsection (b); and

(2) to ensure that no additional amounts are required to be appropriated to carry out the pilot program authorized by subsection (a).

The Secretary may determine the duration of the pilot program authorized by subsection (a), except that the pilot program shall terminate not later than January 1, 2028.

Not later than 180 days after the termination under subsection (e) of the pilot program authorized by subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report evaluating—

(1) the number and categories of employees described in subsection (b) participating in the pilot program, including participation rates by military installation, grade, and employment type;

(2) the total volume of sales and patronage levels generated by those employees and the proportion of total commissary sales represented by the patronage of those employees;

(3) the gross and net revenue generated from sales to those employees;

(4) the disposition or use of any additional revenues, fees, or surcharges collected under the pilot program;

(5) the impact of the pilot program on the overall operating costs of commissary stores, including with respect to labor, supply chain, and inventory management;

(6) any observed or projected effects of the pilot program on the requirements of the Defense Commissary Agency for appropriations and the subsidies provided for the operations of commissary stores;

(7) the impact of the pilot program on infrastructure, security, parking, and utilities at commissary stores participating in the pilot program;

(8) the effect of the pilot program on access to and wait times at commissary stores, and customer satisfaction, for members of the Armed Forces;

(9) any operational challenges, staffing adjustments, or system modifications required to carry out the pilot program;

(10) any adjustments to procurement or contracting requirements associated with increased patronage resulting from the pilot program; and

(11) the overall feasibility, fiscal sustainability, and advisability of permanent or expanded access to commissary stores for civilian employees of the Department of Defense, including recommendations for any legislative or policy changes necessary to support such access.

Section 453(c)(4) of title 37, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

(A) The Secretary of the military department concerned may authorize the shipment or storage of more than one privately owned vehicle for a member of the armed forces in connection with a temporary or permanent move between authorized locations.

(B) The exercise of the authority provided by subparagraph (A) shall—

(i) be subject to the availability of appropriations and operational requirements; and

(ii) not be conditioned on the implementation of a Department of Defense-wide policy on shipment and storage of personally owned vehicles.

Section 453 of title 37, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(1) From amounts otherwise made available for a fiscal year to provide travel and transportation allowances under this chapter, the Secretary concerned may reimburse a member of the uniformed services for qualified guardianship costs if—

(A) the member relocates to a new jurisdiction or geographic area as the result of—

(i) an assignment to a duty station;

(ii) a reassignment, either as a result of a permanent change of station or permanent change of assignment, between duty stations;

(iii) a transfer from a regular component of a uniformed service into the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve of a uniformed service, if the member is authorized a final move from the last duty station to the new jurisdiction or geographic area; or

(iv) placement on the temporary disability retired list under chapter 61 of title 10; and

(B) the movement of the member's dependents is authorized at the expense of the United States under this section as part of the relocation.

(A) Reimbursement provided to a member under this subsection for qualified guardianship costs may not exceed $1,000 in connection with each relocation described in paragraph (1).

(3) No reimbursement may be provided under this subsection for qualified guardianship costs paid or incurred after December 31, 2029.

(4) In this subsection, the term qualified guardianship costs means costs, including paperwork, travel, or court, legal, or other administrative fees, incurred by a member or the spouse of a member if—

(A) a State appoints the member or spouse as the guardian of a minor child or an adult adjudicated to be in need of a guardian; and

(B) the member or spouse needs to seek a new appointment in a new jurisdiction because of the member's relocation described in paragraph (1).

Section 992 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)(2), by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(C) The Secretary concerned may, subject to the applicable requirements of this section, enter into contracts to provide counseling under this paragraph with individuals and organizations that provide counseling with respect to housing, including organizations that are certified under section 106(e) of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701x(e)).; and

(2) in subsection (f)(3), by striking and mortgages and inserting mortgages, and other financial products related to the purchase or lease of a primary residence (and information on fees related to such products).

Section 2641b of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and

(2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new subsection (g):

(1) An individual eligible pursuant to subsection (c) for the travel program who is stationed at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, may purchase transportation, at commercially competitive rates (as determined by the agency contracting for the transportation), for travel to and from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, without regard to subsection (b).

(2) An individual described in paragraph (1) shall have a priority for transportation under the travel program consistent with other official travelers, as determined by the Secretary.

(3) Notwithstanding section 3302 of title 31, amounts collected under paragraph (1) shall be credited to the appropriate appropriation of the agency contracting for the transportation. Amounts so collected shall be credited to and merged with the funds in that appropriation and shall be available for the same period and purposes as the appropriation with which merged.

Chapter 101 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2015 the following new section:

The Secretary of Defense may provide assistance to a member of the armed forces for expenses of obtaining, while serving in the armed forces, a personal driver’s license under the laws of a State.

In this section, the term State means the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.

Section 16301(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking 15 percent and inserting 20 percent.

Section 604 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263; 37 U.S.C. 301b note) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b)(2), by striking and not less than one year; and

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

Under the demonstration program required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable and consistent with the needs of the Air Force, offer a rated officer described in subsection (b)—

(A) assignment to the duty location preferred by the officer, including consecutive assignments to the same duty location; or

(B) the opportunity to perform a staff assignment that—

(i) does not require the officer to relocate; or

(ii) permits the officer to remain in an active flying status while performing such assignment.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force shall establish a pilot program, under the authority provided by section 710 of title 10, United States Code, to permit officers in Air Force fighter aircrew career fields to take a one-time career intermission in order to evaluate whether targeted career intermissions reduce early separations and preserve experienced fighter aircrew subject-matter experts for air staff positions and leadership roles in the active component of the Air Force.

An intermission under the pilot program established under subsection (a) shall be for a period of not less than 4 months and not more than one year, as selected by the participant.

An officer described in subsection (a) may participate in the pilot program established under that subsection if the officer is subject to an active duty service obligation of not less than two years as of the beginning of the period of intermission of the officer under subsection (b). Participation in the pilot program shall not, by itself, disqualify an officer from eligibility for an aviation bonus under section 334(b) of title 37, United States Code.

Payment of an aviation bonus under section 334(b) of title 37, United States Code, to an officer shall be suspended during any period of intermission of an officer under the pilot program established under subsection (a).

Upon the return of an officer to active duty after an intermission under the pilot program established under subsection (a), payment of an aviation bonus under section 334(b) of title 37, United States Code, may resume for the remaining period of the agreement of the officer under paragraph (3) of that section, subject to the terms of the agreement.

Any period of intermission under the pilot program established under subsection (a) shall not be counted toward the fulfillment of an agreement with respect to an aviation bonus under section 334(b) of title 37, United States Code.

Except as provided in paragraph (4), an officer shall continue to satisfy any other active duty service obligation during a period of intermission under the pilot program established under subsection (a).

Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Secretary shall carry out the pilot program established under subsection (a) in accordance with section 710 of title 10, United States Code.

The authority to carry out the pilot program under subsection (a) shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date on which the pilot program is established.

Not later than one year after the establishment of the pilot program under subsection (a), and annually thereafter until termination of the pilot program under subsection (e), the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the implementation and effectiveness of the pilot program.

Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a digital system under which a covered beneficiary who receives health care at a military medical treatment facility or through a managed care support contractor under the TRICARE program may electronically—

(A) file a complaint, raise awareness about an issue, or provide positive feedback relating to access to care at such military medical treatment facility or through such managed care support contractor; and

(B) view the status of such complaint or issue at any time, including the status of any interim or final action taken to address the complaint or issue.

The Director of the Defense Health Agency shall develop a process to acknowledge receipt of complaints or issues under paragraph (1)(A) and specify a timeline for response to such complaints or issues.

Any complaint or issue filed under paragraph (1)(A) shall be promptly transmitted to an appropriate patient advocate of the Department of Defense.

Complaints or issues filed under paragraph (1)(A) with respect to a military medical treatment facility may be automatically aggregated and submitted to the Director of the Defense Health Agency on a quarterly basis.

Not later than March 1 of each year during the three-year period following the establishment of the system 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 on the total number of complaints or issues filed under such system.

Each report under paragraph (1) shall include, for each military medical treatment facility with respect to which a complaint or issue was filed under the system under subsection (a), the following:

(A) An identification of the most common access to care complaints or issues filed by covered beneficiaries with respect to such facility.

(B) A comparison of the number of complaints or issues filed regarding access to specialty care versus access to primary care.

(C) A comparison of the number of complaints or issues filed regarding access to women’s health care versus access to health care that is not women’s health care.

(D) A comparison of the number of complaints or issues filed regarding access to pediatric care versus access to non-pediatric care.

(E) A comparison of the number of complaints or issues filed regarding administrative hurdles to access to care versus other access to care issues.

(F) A summary of steps taken at such facility to reduce access to care complaints or issues by covered beneficiaries.

In this section:

The term covered beneficiary means an individual enrolled in a health care plan under the TRICARE program and eligible to receive care at a military medical treatment facility.

The term managed care support contractor means a health care organization contracted to provide care via a managed support contract in support of the health benefits under the TRICARE program.

The term TRICARE program has the meaning given that term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.

Paragraph (2) of section 1077(c) of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

(A) Dependents who are covered by a dental plan established under section 1076a of this title may be treated by postgraduate dental residents in a dental treatment facility of the uniformed services under a graduate dental education program accredited by the American Dental Association.

(B) Treatment under subparagraph (A) shall be provided on a space available basis and only if the Secretary of Defense determines that adequate resources exist to provide such treatment.

Section 1077(a)(16)(B)(ii) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting or TRICARE Select before the period at the end.

The Director of the Defense Health Agency shall evaluate the feasibility and advisability of permitting reimbursement under the TRICARE program of certified mental health counselors who hold a masters or higher-level degree in counseling from a program that is accredited by a covered institution.

Not later than July 1, 2027, the Director shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the evaluation conducted under subsection (a).

If the report submitted under subsection (b) recommends permitting reimbursement of counselors with a degree from a program accredited by a covered institution, the Director shall issue an interim final rule implementing such recommendations not later than two years after submittal of the report.

In this section:

The term covered institution means any of the following:

(A) The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

(B) The Higher Learning Commission.

(C) The Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

(D) The New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

(E) The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

(F) The Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission.

(G) The Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

(H) The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.

(I) The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.

(J) The Distance Education Accreditation Commission.

(K) The Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

(L) The American Psychology Association.

The term TRICARE program has the meaning given that term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.

The Director of the Defense Health Agency shall—

(1) ensure that each managed care contract under the TRICARE program entered into after the date of the enactment of this Act includes requirements that the managed care contractor—

(A) conduct comprehensive outreach campaigns, to include electronic and non-electronic means, and mass email campaigns to network specialty care providers providing—

(i) information relating to penalties associated with inaccurate provider directory information;

(ii) resources for improving directory information; and

(iii) direct links for providers to update their directory information;

(B) make it a condition of joining the network managed by such contractor under the TRICARE program for specialty care providers to validate their provider directory information not less frequently than quarterly;

(C) ensure that when specialty care providers file for reimbursement, such providers are prompted to review and verify their directory accuracy;

(D) create a mechanism by which beneficiaries under the TRICARE program can report provider directory inaccuracy to the contractor;

(E) conduct random tests (not less frequently than monthly) encompassing all specialty care provider types, of the accuracy of information maintained by the contractor relating to specialty care providers; and

(F) not less frequently than monthly, submit to the Director the results of such random tests, disaggregated by each specialty care provider type, conducted during the month covered by the report; and

(2) develop financial penalties or other contractual remedies for inaccurate provider directory information under such contracts in accordance with the penalties or remedies imposed as of the date of the enactment of this Act under the T–5 Contract.

The Director shall carry out any other methods that the Director finds useful for the improvement of provider directory accuracy under the TRICARE program.

Not less frequently than twice each year during the three-year period following the date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the Defense Health Agency shall—

(1) conduct random tests, encompassing and disaggregating by all specialty care provider types, of the accuracy of information relating to specialty care providers contained in the provider directory under the TRICARE program; and

(2) submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report containing the findings of each random test.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the following four years, the Director shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on progress in carrying out this section.

Each briefing under paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(A) A description of the techniques that are most effective in improving accuracy of provider directories.

(B) An identification of the authorities or tools that the Defense Health Agency lacks for improving such accuracy.

(C) An identification of challenges specific to each specialty care provider type that limit such accuracy.

(D) An assessment of the impact of efforts of the Defense Health Agency towards improving such accuracy on providers either leaving the TRICARE program or on the willingness of non-network providers to join the TRICARE program.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the following two years, the Comptroller General of the United States shall—

(1) conduct a holistic review of provider directory accuracy under the TRICARE program, disaggregated by each specialty care provider type, to measure the progress of the Director towards meeting the existing requirements set forth by each managed care contractor under the TRICARE program, including by providing recommendations that would inform the development of the next managed care support contract competition; and

(2) submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the review conducted under paragraph (1).

In this section:

The term random test, with respect to specialty care providers, means conducting covert calls to offices of a random sample of such providers using phone numbers from the directory available under the TRICARE program with respect to such providers to confirm the accuracy of information contained in such directory.

A random test may not be conducted with respect to the same sample of providers in consecutive tests.

The term TRICARE program has the meaning given that term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.

Section 1095c(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking nine months after the date of the award of the contract, but in no case later than one year after the date of such award and inserting one year after the date on which the transition period of performance begins under the contract to allow for adequate start-up time for an orderly transition; and

(2) in paragraph (3), by striking nine-month and inserting one-year each place it appears.

Section 734 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 10 U.S.C. 1071 note) is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking September 30, 2027 and inserting January 31, 2028;

(2) in subsection (c), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking a publicly accessible internet website and inserting the public-facing website of the TRICARE program;

(3) in subsection (d)(2), by striking establish procedures to determine and inserting provide a method for verification of;

(4) in subsection (e), by striking 2026 and inserting 2027; and

(5) in subsection (g)(2), by inserting a health plan option under after enrolled in.

Section 1079(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(21) Cranial orthotic devices (molding helmets) for deformational plagiocephaly may be provided as part of a reconstructive medical treatment.

The Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in section 2 (42 U.S.C. 201)—

(A) in paragraph (p), by striking means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, or Coast and Geodetic Survey; and and inserting has the meaning given such term in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code;;

(B) in paragraph (q), by striking the period and inserting; and; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

(r) The term Defense Agency has the meaning given such term in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.; and

(2) in section 543(e) (42 U.S.C. 290dd–2(e))—

(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting or the Defense Agency responsible for military health care under chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, after Uniformed Services; and

(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting or the Defense Agency responsible for military health care under chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code after Uniformed Services.

The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328).

For purposes of determining whether a mental health care professional is eligible for reimbursement under the TRICARE program as a certified mental health counselor, an individual who holds a masters or higher-level degree in counseling from a program that is accredited by a covered institution shall be treated as holding such degree from a mental health counseling program or clinical mental health counseling program that is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.

The Secretary of Defense shall implement this section beginning not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the plan of the Secretary to implement this section.

In this section:

The term covered institution means any of the following:

(A) The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

(B) The Higher Learning Commission.

(C) The Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

(D) The New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

(E) The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

(F) The Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission.

(G) The Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

(H) The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.

(I) The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.

(J) The Distance Education Accreditation Commission.

(K) The Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

(L) The American Psychology Association.

The term TRICARE program has the meaning given that term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.

The Secretary of Defense shall issue such regulations, policies, and procedures as may be necessary to require that, whenever appropriate following a member of the Armed Forces sustaining any significant injury or illness or being on sick call, a wellness check is conducted to account for the health and welfare of such member.

For purposes of subparagraph (A), a member of the Armed Forces shall be considered to have sustained a significant injury or illness or to be on sick call if a medical professional recommends an absence of the member from regular duties for 24 hours or longer, such as placing the member on quarters or recommending convalescent leave.

In conducting a wellness check for a member of the Armed Forces pursuant to paragraph (1), if the member does not respond to such check conducted via an electronic or telephone communication method, the individual conducting the check shall progress to an in-person method of contact.

If, as a result of a wellness check conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) for a member of the Armed Forces, the individual conducting such check is unable to locate such member, the individual shall refer to the applicable regulations, policies, and procedures of the Department of Defense regarding the determination and reporting of such member as missing, absent unknown, absent without leave, or duty status-whereabouts unknown.

In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each unit commander coordinates with the judge advocates assigned or attached to, or performing duty with, the unit under the command of such commander for assistance in the implementation of any regulation, policy, or procedure required under subsection (a) with respect to such unit.

On a routine basis, each unit commander shall—

(A) review the requirements contained in the document titled Commander’s Critical Information Requirements, dated January 2020, or any successor document, to ensure such requirements—

(i) have been issued or updated during the three-year period preceding any such review;

(ii) reflect the medical issues or safety incidents of members of the Armed Forces that the commander deems sufficiently significant; and

(iii) have been distributed to the unit under the command of such commander; and

(B) host confidential wellness meetings with subordinate commanders at which such commanders may discuss with one or more medical officers assigned to such unit any significant injuries or illnesses affecting members of the Armed Forces serving in or with such unit.

Confidential wellness meetings under paragraph (1)(B) may be integrated with existing command, staff, or health-of-the-force synchronization meetings if the confidentiality of the medical and personal information a member of the Armed Forces is appropriately maintained.

Each Secretary concerned, and the Secretary of Defense with respect to civilian personnel of the Department of Defense, shall ensure that training on the importance of accountability with respect to health and welfare, and the significant negative outcomes that may occur when accountability procedures fail, is integrated into existing command, leadership, and prevention training programs to the maximum extent practicable

A separate standalone training requirement is not required for purposes of carrying out paragraph (1).

In this section, the term Secretary concerned has the meaning given that term in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.

The Secretary of Defense shall establish and implement a policy throughout the Department of Defense to require that a medical chaperone be offered and available to be present with a patient during any sensitive medical examination, as determined by the Secretary, conducted at a military medical treatment facility.

The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of expanding reciprocal access to health care facilities, personnel, and services between the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs (in this section referred to as the pilot program).

The purposes of the pilot program are—

(1) to improve access to timely, high-quality health care for covered beneficiaries;

(2) to improve continuity of care for transitioning members of the Armed Forces and veterans;

(3) to reduce duplication of health care capacity and infrastructure;

(4) to enhance medical readiness and provider proficiency;

(5) to maximize the efficient use of medical facilities and personnel of the Federal Government; and

(6) to assess opportunities for future integration and coordination between the health care systems of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Under the pilot program, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may authorize—

(A) coordinated referral and specialty care arrangements;

(B) integrated scheduling, credentialing, reimbursement, and care coordination processes; and

(C) the sharing and interoperability of electronic health records and related health information systems consistent with applicable privacy and security requirements.

Activities under the pilot program shall prioritize arrangements that cannot be readily achieved under sharing agreements in effect as of the date of the enactment of this Act due to administrative, eligibility, or systemic barriers.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly designate not fewer than five and not more than 10 pilot sites.

In selecting pilot sites under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall consider—

(A) geographic areas with overlapping medical infrastructure of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs;

(B) locations experiencing provider shortages or access challenges;

(C) locations with significant populations of transitioning members of the Armed Forces, former members of the Armed Forces, or veterans;

(D) locations where at least one of the local Federal facilities has the staff and operation capacity to take on the work of the pilot program;

(E) opportunities to improve medical readiness of the Armed Forces; and

(F) existing sharing agreements or integrated care models.

The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may jointly add, remove, suspend, or modify pilot sites and services covered under the pilot program as the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs jointly determine necessary based on performance, patient safety, operational requirements, beneficiary access, or other appropriate considerations if the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs provide to the appropriate committees of Congress, not later than 30 days before adding, removing, suspending, or modifying any such site or service, a notification of such action.

The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly establish eligibility criteria and priority categories for participation in the pilot program.

In establishing criteria under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall prioritize—

(A) transitioning members of the Armed Forces;

(B) members of the Armed Forces and veterans residing in medically underserved areas;

(C) beneficiaries requiring specialty care with extended wait times;

(D) members of the Armed Forces and veterans receiving behavioral health care; and

(E) military families if reciprocal access would improve continuity or access to care for such families.

The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may waive or modify administrative requirements that would otherwise unnecessarily impede the operation of the pilot program, except requirements relating to patient safety, quality standards, or statutory eligibility for care.

The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly establish metrics to evaluate the pilot program, including metrics relating to—

(A) patient access and wait times;

(B) quality of care and patient outcomes;

(C) patient satisfaction and care coordination;

(D) provider productivity and readiness impacts;

(E) cost and resource utilization;

(F) continuity of care for transitioning members of the Armed Forces;

(G) continuity of care for veterans receiving care under the pilot program at facilities other than facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs;

(H) electronic health record interoperability and information sharing; and

(I) comparison of use of the pilot program to use of sharing agreements for similar services under other authorities.

The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that data collection under this subsection is standardized across pilot sites to the maximum extent practicable.

The pilot program shall—

(1) build upon and not duplicate authorities under section 8111 of title 38, United States Code; and

(2) apply only to the extent necessary to test enhanced reciprocal access to health care facilities, personnel, and services beyond sharing agreements in effect as of the date of the enactment of this Act.

Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing regarding implementation plans for the pilot program.

Not later than April 1 of each year during the duration of the pilot program, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing regarding—

(A) pilot site performance;

(B) beneficiary participation;

(C) budgetary impacts;

(D) patient safety and quality metrics;

(E) any modifications to pilot sites or covered services; and

(F) legislative recommendations, if any.

Not later than two years after commencement of operations under the pilot program at the first pilot site, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress an interim report on the results of the pilot program.

Not later than one year before the termination of the pilot program under subsection (k), the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a final report containing—

(A) an assessment of the effectiveness of the pilot program;

(B) recommendations regarding expansion, modification, or termination of the pilot program;

(C) an assessment of impacts on medical readiness of the Armed Forces and health care delivery for veterans; and

(D) any recommendations for legislative or administrative action.

Participation in the pilot program by veterans shall be voluntary.

A veteran eligible to participate in the pilot program may elect to receive care through—

(A) a facility of the Department of Veterans Affairs;

(B) a military medical treatment facility participating in the pilot program; or

(C) a community provider pursuant to applicable community care authorities of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not require a veteran to receive care through a facility of the Department of Defense as a condition of eligibility for, or receipt of, care or services under laws administered by the Secretary.

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that veterans eligible to participate in the pilot program receive clear notice regarding available health care options, including the availability of community care if otherwise authorized by law.

Nothing in this section may be construed to limit, alter, delay, or otherwise affect the eligibility of a veteran for care, services, or referrals furnished under the Veterans Community Care Program under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code, or any other authority available under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to receive care from non-Department of Veterans Affairs providers.

The pilot program shall commence not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and shall terminate five years after the commencement of operations of the pilot program at the first pilot site.

In this section:

The term appropriate committees of Congress means—

(A) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate; and

(B) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives.

The term covered beneficiary has the meaning given that term in section 1072 of title 10, United States Code.

The term military medical treatment facility means a facility of the Defense Health Agency, a military department, or another component of the Department of Defense providing health care services.

The term pilot site means any medical center, hospital, clinic, or other health care facility of the Department of Defense or the Department of Veterans Affairs that is participating in the pilot program.

The term reciprocal access means systematic, non-excess-capacity access with integrated operations, as opposed to access that is limited to excess capacity only.

Not later than January 1, 2029, the Secretary of Defense shall modify the service records of covered members to include a check box or other method to signify that the covered member served at a covered location and would merit additional medical screening.

During a covered examination, a covered member shall receive—

(A) a screening to determine if such member served at a covered location at any time during service in the Armed Forces; and

(B) if such member served at such a location, additional exposure-specific medical screenings and evaluations to identify potential exposure to hazardous substances, radiation, or other harmful occupational and environmental hazards encountered during service in the Armed Forces, consistent with current clinical practice guidelines and recommendations of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The screenings and evaluations required under paragraph (1) may include—

(A) a targeted assessment of medical histories;

(B) a physical examination;

(C) laboratory testing;

(D) imaging studies; and

(E) other diagnostic procedures that the Secretary determines are medically necessary.

A health care provider shall document all exposures identified by the provider and the results of any screenings and evaluations conducted under subsection (b) in the permanent medical record of the relevant covered member and ensure that relevant exposure information is transmitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs upon separation or retirement of such member.

In this section:

The term covered examination means—

(A) a screening conducted by a health care provider of the Department of Defense for any covered member prior to a permanent change of station from a covered location; or

(B) any annual preventive health assessment of a covered member conducted by a health care provider of the Department.

The term covered location means—

(A) a data masked or classified location; or

(B) a facility on the most recent list of facilities covered under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 7384 et seq.) published in the Federal Register by the Secretary of Energy.

The term covered member means a member of the Armed Forces currently serving on active duty.

During the annual periodic health assessment of each firefighter of the Department of Defense, or at such other intervals as may be indicated in subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the firefighter (at no cost to the firefighter) appropriate medical testing and related services to detect, document the presence or absence of, and prevent, certain cancers.

Services required to be provided under subsection (a) shall meet, at a minimum, the following criteria:

With respect to breast cancer screening, if the firefighter is a female firefighter—

(A) such services shall include the provision of a mammogram to the firefighter—

(i) if the firefighter is 40 years old to 49 years old (inclusive), not less frequently than twice each year;

(ii) if the firefighter is 50 years old or older, not less frequently than annually; and

(iii) as clinically indicated (without regard to age); and

(B) in connection with the provision of a mammogram under subparagraph (A), a licensed radiologist shall review the most recent mammogram provided to the firefighter, as compared to prior mammograms so provided, and provide to the firefighter the results of such review.

With respect to colon cancer screening—

(A) if the firefighter is 40 years old or older, or as clinically indicated without regard to age, such services shall include the communication to the firefighter of the risks and benefits of stool-based blood testing;

(B) if the firefighter is 45 years old or older, or as clinically indicated without regard to age, such services shall include the provision, at regular intervals, of visual examinations (such as a colonoscopy, CT colonoscopy, or flexible sigmoidoscopy) or stool-based blood testing; and

(C) in connection with the provision of a visual examination or stool-based blood testing under subparagraph (B), a licensed physician shall review and provide to the firefighter the results of such examination or testing, as the case may be.

With respect to prostate cancer screening, if the firefighter is a male firefighter, such services shall include the communication to the firefighter of the risks and benefits of prostate cancer screenings and the provision to the firefighter of a prostate-specific antigen test—

(A) not less frequently than annually if the firefighter—

(i) is 50 years old or older; or

(ii) is 40 years old or older and is a high-risk individual; and

(B) as clinically indicated (without regard to age).

Such services shall include routine screenings for any other cancer the risk or occurrence of which the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified as higher among firefighters than among the general public, the provision of which shall be carried out during the annual periodic health assessment of the firefighter.

A firefighter of the Department of Defense may opt out of the receipt of medical testing or a related service provided under subsection (a).

In providing medical testing and related services under subsection (a), the Secretary shall use consensus technical standards in accordance with section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (Public Law 104–113; 15 U.S.C. 272 note).

In providing medical testing and related services under subsection (a), the Secretary—

(A) shall document the acceptance rates of such tests offered and the rates of such tests performed;

(B) shall document test results to identify trends in the rates of cancer occurrences among firefighters; and

(C) may collect and maintain additional information from the recipients of such tests and other services to allow for appropriate scientific analysis.

In analyzing any information of an individual documented, collected, or maintained under paragraph (1), in addition to complying with other applicable privacy laws, the Secretary shall ensure the name and any other personally identifiable information of the individual is removed from such information prior to the analysis.

The Secretary may share data from any tests performed under subsection (a) with the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as appropriate, to increase the knowledge and understanding of cancer occurrences among firefighters.

In this section:

The term firefighter means someone whose primary job or military occupational specialty is being a firefighter.

The term high-risk individual means an individual who—

(A) is African American;

(B) has at least one first-degree relative who has been diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age; or

(C) is otherwise determined by the Secretary to be high risk with respect to prostate cancer.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall develop and implement a capability prototype that is interoperable with the electronic health record of the Department of Defense for active duty members of the Armed Forces who receive health care from the Defense Health Agency to digitally collect their medical records through a covered health record platform before separating from active duty.

The Secretary shall seek to enter into a contract using competitive procedures with an appropriate entity for the provision of the covered health record platform under the capability prototype under subsection (a).

Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue a request for proposals for the contract described in paragraph (1).

A request under subparagraph (A) shall be full and open to any contractor that has an existing covered health record platform.

Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall award a contract to an appropriate entity pursuant to the request for proposals under paragraph (2) if at least one acceptable offer is submitted.

The Secretary shall carry out a pilot program under which the Secretary shall assess the feasibility and advisability of using the capability prototype developed under subsection (a) for a period of not less than 180 days.

The Secretary shall select not less than one Armed Force in which to carry out the pilot program under paragraph (1).

At the end of the period specified in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall survey all participants in the pilot program under such paragraph and, based on survey results, may—

(A) terminate the capability prototype developed and implemented under subsection (a);

(B) continue the capability prototype;

(C) expand the capability prototype; or

(D) implement the use of a covered health record platform in the Defense Health Agency throughout the uniformed services.

No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the requirements of this section and such requirements shall be carried out using amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated for the Department of Defense through the Joint Incentive Fund.

Not later than April 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on the capability prototype developed and implemented under subsection (a).

In this section, the term covered health record platform means a health record platform that meets the following requirements:

(1) Has web-based and native mobile phone application capabilities.

(2) Has the capability to store and share records with the Department of Veterans Affairs or any other designated care provider.

(3) Has the capability to store records in the cloud.

(4) Does not have a requirement for integration to receive or share records.

(5) Has the capability to instantly share data based on a combination of access key and personal identifier.

(6) Has the capability to provide secure data storage and records transfer upon separation of a member of the Armed Forces from active duty.

(7) Does not require a business associate agreement with any party.

(8) Has secure data isolation with access controls.

(9) Has, at a minimum, data security that would require separate encryption for each document, relying on AES256 or better algorithm with keys encryption using RSA2048 or better algorithm, or any successor similar algorithm.

The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Defense Health Agency, shall develop and maintain a centralized inventory of military–civilian health care partnerships throughout the Department of Defense.

In carrying out paragraph (1), the Director of the Defense Health Agency shall coordinate with the Secretary of each military department to ensure the inventory developed and maintained under such paragraph reflects partnerships established and maintained by the Defense Health Agency, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and the military departments.

Each Secretary of a military department shall develop and maintain an inventory of military–civilian health care partnerships under the jurisdiction of such Secretary.

The inventories developed under subparagraph (A) shall be provided to the Director of the Defense Health Agency on a recurring basis, as determined by the Secretary of Defense, for inclusion in the centralized inventory under paragraph (1).

The inventories maintained by the military departments under this paragraph shall be used to inform and update the centralized inventory maintained by the Defense Health Agency under paragraph (1).

The inventories required under this subsection shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(A) The type and purpose of each military–civilian health care partnership.

(B) Participating organizations, including civilian and other Federal partners.

(C) Geographic location and supported beneficiary population.

(D) Resources shared, including personnel, facilities, and funding.

(E) Duration and terms of the partnerships.

(F) Measures of performance and effectiveness of the partnerships.

Not less frequently than annually, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Director of the Defense Health Agency, shall conduct a catchment area assessment of military–civilian health care partnerships and resource-sharing agreements of the Department of Defense.

The catchment area assessment conducted under paragraph (1) shall be informed by the centralized inventory developed under subsection (a), including inputs provided by the military departments.

Each catchment area assessment conducted under paragraph (1) shall focus on the catchment area of a military medical treatment facility and other related organizations.

Each catchment area assessment conducted under paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(i) An assessment of the extent to which existing military–civilian health care partnerships fulfill the intended objectives of such partnerships, including access to care, quality, cost-effectiveness, and medical readiness.

(ii) An identification of gaps in care, redundancies, or underutilized resources.

(iii) An evaluation of whether individual partnerships should be expanded, reduced, or maintained.

(iv) An identification of opportunities to establish new partnerships or modify existing agreements.

(v) Consideration of regional health care capacity, including civilian and Federal health care providers.

(vi) An analysis of trends that may affect the performance or sustainability of military–civilian health care partnerships.

The Secretary of Defense shall establish standardized metrics and benchmarks to evaluate the performance and outcomes of military–civilian health care partnerships assessed under this subsection.

Not later than April 1, 2027, and annually thereafter for the following five years, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing containing the results of the most recent catchment area assessment conducted under subsection (b), which shall include the following:

(1) A summary of the centralized inventory developed and maintained under subsection (a).

(2) Key findings regarding the effectiveness of military–civilian health care partnerships.

(3) An identification of any resources that are required to ensure effective military–civilian health care partnerships.

(4) Planned actions to expand, modify, or terminate military–civilian health care partnerships.

(5) Any recommendations for legislative or administrative action to improve military–civilian health care collaboration.

In this section, the term military–civilian health care partnership includes any agreement, contract, or arrangement between the Department of Defense and a non-Department entity for the provision, sharing, or coordination of health care services, personnel, training, or resources.

Section 1073d of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(1) The Secretary of Defense may not carry out any action initiated after the date of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 to downsize, realign, or otherwise reduce the scope of services at a military medical treatment facility until the Secretary conducts a comprehensive review consistent with this subsection.

(2) A review required under paragraph (1) with respect to an action relating to a military medical treatment facility shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(A) An assessment of the capacity, capability, and readiness of local civilian health care providers to absorb affected beneficiary populations.

(B) An assessment of the capacity, capability, and accessibility of facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs in the relevant catchment area.

(C) An evaluation of the impact on access to care for covered beneficiaries, including wait times, travel distances, and specialty care availability.

(D) An analysis of the effects on medical readiness, including clinical workload necessary to sustain provider skills within the armed forces.

(E) An assessment of risks to continuity of care, particularly for complex or chronic conditions.

(F) Such other factors as the Secretary determines appropriate to ensure a complete understanding of impacts on beneficiaries and mission requirements.

(3) The Secretary of Defense shall certify to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives that the review required under this subsection has been completed prior to implementing any action described in paragraph (1) and shall include a summary of findings and a justification for the proposed action.

(4) Not later than one year before conducting any action to downsize, realign, or otherwise reduce the scope of services at a military medical treatment facility, the Secretary of Defense shall have a consultative discussion regarding such action with the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall develop and implement a policy throughout the Department of Defense regarding the notification of commanders when a health care provider determines that a member of the Armed Forces is at imminent risk of suicide.

As part of the policy required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall establish a clear and standardized definition of imminent risk of suicide for purposes of the military health system.

The definition required under paragraph (1) shall—

(A) be informed by evidence-based clinical standards and suicide risk assessment practices;

(B) account for the presence of suicidal ideation, intent, plan, access to means, and temporal proximity of potential self-harm;

(C) distinguish between acute, immediate risk and non-immediate or chronic suicide risk; and

(D) allow for the exercise of professional clinical judgment in individual cases.

The policy required under subsection (a) shall—

(1) establish clear and standardized criteria for determining when a member of the Armed Forces is at imminent risk of suicide, consistent with evidence-based clinical practices;

(2) require timely notification to the appropriate commander when such a determination is made, while ensuring that only the minimum necessary information is disclosed to protect the privacy of the member;

(3) define the roles and responsibilities of health care providers, commanders, and other relevant personnel in responding to such notifications;

(4) ensure that such notifications are made in a manner that supports the safety and well-being of the member, including coordination of appropriate interventions and support services;

(5) incorporate procedures to safeguard the confidentiality of protected health information consistent with section 552a of title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the Privacy Act of 1974), and applicable regulations of the Department of Defense;

(6) provide guidance on documentation and accountability for decisions relating to such notifications; and

(7) include mechanisms to ensure that such notifications do not result in inappropriate adverse personnel actions solely on the basis of a mental health condition.

The Secretary shall ensure that—

(1) health care providers within the military health system receive training on the policy developed under subsection (a), including criteria for determining imminent risk and procedures for notification of commanders;

(2) commanders receive training on appropriate responses to such notifications, including how to support members of the Armed Forces while maintaining good order and discipline; and

(3) health professionals within the military health system in patient care positions receive training on—

(A) how to respond when a member of the Armed Forces initiates the referral process under section 1090b(e) of title 10, United States Code; and

(B) how to recognize signs indicating mental health distress and imminent risk of suicide.

In developing the policy required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with—

(1) the Director of the Defense Health Agency;

(2) the Surgeons General of the Armed Forces; and

(3) other relevant stakeholders, as determined appropriate by the Secretary.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing that includes—

(1) a description of the policy developed under subsection (a);

(2) an assessment of implementation of such policy across the Armed Forces;

(3) a description of any identified challenges or barriers to such implementation; and

(4) recommendations for legislative or administrative action to improve suicide prevention efforts of the Department of Defense.

Section 1073 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs shall have authority over the entirety of the Defense Health Program.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and the Director of the Defense Health Agency, shall implement an enterprise-wide revenue cycle improvement initiative (in this section referred to as the Initiative) to standardize revenue cycle management processes, strengthen governance and accountability, improve workforce capability, and increase the accuracy, timeliness, and yield of third-party collections and claims management across the military health system.

The objectives of the Initiative are the following:

(1) To establish and implement standardized revenue cycle management processes, defined stage-by-stage accountability, and enterprise performance standards across all military medical treatment facilities.

(2) To improve the accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of clinical documentation, medical coding, charge capture, claims submission, and denial management, including through the use of advanced analytics, automation, and robotic process automation technologies as appropriate.

(3) To increase third-party collections yield and reduce preventable claim denials across the military health system.

(4) To strengthen the accuracy of medical readiness documentation, including documentation supporting deployment eligibility determinations, disability evaluation processing, and military provider clinical currency sustainment.

(5) To ensure interoperability with the GENESIS electronic health record platform of the military health system to support end-to-end revenue cycle operations and performance visibility.

(6) To establish enterprise workforce training and certification programs to improve revenue cycle competency across military medical treatment facilities.

(7) To provide actionable performance data and operational feedback to markets, networks, and military medical treatment facilities of the Defense Health Agency to improve accountability and outcomes.

In carrying out the Initiative, the Secretary shall—

(1) designate a senior official within the Defense Health Agency to serve as the enterprise revenue cycle improvement lead, with responsibility for implementation, performance oversight, and reporting;

(2) establish enterprise-wide revenue cycle performance standards and defined accountability for each stage of the revenue cycle, from patient scheduling through final collections;

(3) develop and implement enterprise performance metrics, including leading and lagging indicators, with escalation thresholds and corrective action requirements;

(4) implement workforce training and proficiency assessment programs for personnel performing revenue cycle functions across military medical treatment facilities;

(5) leverage existing investments in the GENESIS electronic health record platform of the military health system, existing analytics capabilities, and enterprise financial systems to support standardized revenue cycle operations; and

(6) incorporate advanced analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence capabilities, consistent with policies of the Department of Defense for responsible use of artificial intelligence, to support coding accuracy, denial prevention, charge capture, and revenue integrity.

The Initiative shall apply to all military medical treatment facilities within the Defense Health Agency.

The Secretary shall prioritize initial implementation of the Initiative at facilities with the greatest opportunity for improvement in revenue cycle performance and third-party collections yield.

The Secretary may enter into contracts or other agreements using available acquisition methods and competitive procedures, as appropriate, to obtain specialized expertise, technology capabilities, or implementation support necessary to carry out the Initiative.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the establishment of a new acquisition program or program management office for the purpose of revenue cycle management.

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report describing—

(A) the baseline performance of military medical treatment facilities across key revenue cycle metrics, including days to final bill, clean claim submission rate, preventable denial rate, coding accuracy rate, and third-party collections yield;

(B) the enterprise revenue cycle governance structure established under the Initiative, including stage-by-stage accountability designations;

(C) implementation milestones and target dates for enterprise-wide deployment; and

(D) the allocation of funds authorized for the Initiative.

Not later than 90 days after the submission of the initial report under paragraph (1), and quarterly thereafter for a period of not less than two years, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report describing—

(A) progress in implementing the Initiative as compared to implementation milestones;

(B) performance improvements in the metrics identified under paragraph (1)(A) compared to the established baseline;

(C) the status of workforce training and certification programs;

(D) the impact of revenue cycle accuracy improvements on medical readiness documentation, including any identified effects on deployment eligibility determinations or disability evaluation processing; and

(E) challenges, risks, and recommendations for sustainment or expansion of the Initiative.

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

Not later than 30 days after a covered event with respect to misconduct allegedly committed by a licensed medical professional of the Department of Defense, the Secretary of Defense shall notify the relevant State licensing and medical boards regarding such misconduct.

In this section, the term covered event, with respect to a licensed medical professional of the Department, means the date on which—

(1) an investigation that could lead to criminal charges is started into misconduct allegedly committed by such professional; or

(2) such professional is charged with misconduct.

Section 720 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 10 U.S.C. 1094 note) is amended—

(1) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) and (d), respectively;

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

Not later than 180 days after implementing the centralized credential system established under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall review all processes and forms relating to health care provider credentialing and privileging of covered applicants to—

(1) identify questions, required disclosures, or other information required to be provided by the applicant that asks or requires the applicant to disclose mental, behavioral, psychological, or other related health conditions of the applicant, including requirements contained in—

(A) applications for credentialing, peer reference, or competency assessment; and

(B) employee manuals, guidance, and policies of the Department of Defense governing the requirements for credentialing, privileging, or employment of health care providers; and

(2) review credentialing, peer reference, and competency assessment forms for health care providers and make a comparison across the military departments and the Defense Health Agency as applicable, including a review of—

(A) which forms require disclosure of mental, behavioral, psychological, or other related health conditions; and

(B) whether such disclosure of mental, behavioral, psychological, or other related health conditions include past and current diagnoses and treatment.; and

(3) in subsection (c), as redesignated by paragraph (1)—

(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting after this Act, the following: and not later than one year after implementing the centralized credential system established under subsection (a)(2);

(B) in paragraph (1), by striking review required under subsection (a) and inserting reviews required under subsections (a) and (b); and

(C) in paragraph (2), by striking such review and inserting such reviews.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report containing the following:

(1) The findings of the review required under subsection (b) of section 720 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Public Law 119–60; 10 U.S.C. 1094 note), as added by subsection (a)(2) of this section.

(2) A detailed plan outlining steps the Secretary has taken or will take pursuant to such review, including a timeline for completion of such steps.

Section 996 of title 10, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (i); and

(2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new subsections:

The Secretary may include in the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record of a member of the armed forces exposures experienced by family members of such member during an accompanied tour while such member is serving on active duty, regardless of whether the location is in the continental United States, outside the continental United States, or a classified location.

(1) The Secretary may provide to members of the armed forces, veterans, designated family members, and survivors password-protected access to view data within the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record to which the individual is authorized to view.

(2) An individual may request an update or correction to any data included in the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record that relates to the individual.

The Secretary may modify the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record to provide the capability to notify an individual of a potential toxic exposure of the individual in real time.

The Secretary may modify the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record to preserve records of an individual after the death of the individual for purposes of research, survivor benefits, and disease-cluster identification.

Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record maintained under section 996 of title 10, United States Code, is at full operating capacity in accordance with the requirements and authorities under such section, as amended by subsection (a).

Not later than January 1, 2028, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report detailing—

(1) whether the Secretary intends to implement subsections (e) through (h) of section 996 of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)(2); and

(2) if the Secretary does not intend to implement any such subsection, the recommendations of the Secretary with respect to the implementation of such subsection.

The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a pilot program at not more than five military installations, representing a combined total of not less than 40,000 and not more than 50,000 active-duty members of the Armed Forces, to evaluate the use of voice-based risk assessment technology to support targeted drug testing.

The purpose of the pilot program is to determine whether automated voice-based screening tools can improve the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and operational readiness of the Department of Defense’s drug testing programs by enabling risk-informed testing in place of universal urinalysis.

The pilot program shall—

(1) integrate voice-based automated screening technology capable of producing real-time, individualized risk assessments from simple yes/no questions;

(2) be executed as part of the Drug Demand Reduction Program of the Department of Defense;

(3) assess impacts on testing volume, cost savings, personnel time, and operational readiness;

(4) be conducted in a manner that protects individual privacy and complies with applicable law, Department policy, and applicable protections under section 552a of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Privacy Act of 1974); and

(5) only be conducted if the proposed voice-based automated screening technology or any other proposed screening technology is scientifically validated, peer-reviewed, and legally defensible as defined by the Secretary of Defense.

The Secretary of Defense shall determine when to terminate the pilot program established under this section.

Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1110b the following new section:

The Secretary of Defense shall establish and maintain a Joint Disease and Non-Battle Injury Surveillance and Readiness System (in this section referred to as the Joint DNBI System) within the Defense Health Agency to provide standardized, interoperable, and real-time monitoring of disease and non-battle injury across the armed forces.

The Joint DNBI System shall apply to—

(1) the regular components of the armed forces;

(2) the reserve components of the armed forces when in Federal service; and

(3) such other personnel of the Department of Defense as the Secretary determines appropriate.

The Joint DNBI System shall—

(1) standardize definitions, metrics, and reporting requirements for disease and non-battle injury of members of the armed forces;

(2) integrate with the electronic health record systems of the Department of Defense;

(3) integrate with readiness reporting systems and operational reporting platforms;

(4) provide commanders and combatant commands with near-real-time medical situational awareness;

(5) incorporate environmental and occupational health surveillance data;

(6) track lost duty days, medical evacuations, limited duty status, and other readiness impacts attributable to disease and non-battle injury;

(7) integrate lessons learned with respect to infectious disease and preventive medicine, including through overseas medical laboratories and the Global Emerging Infectious Surveillance program, across the armed forces; and

(8) ensure interoperability, as appropriate, with joint, interagency, and allied health surveillance systems.

The Secretary of Defense shall—

(A) designate a senior official within the Office of the Secretary of Defense to oversee policy oversight with respect to the Joint DNBI System; and

(B) ensure adequate resourcing and cybersecurity protections for such system.

Each Secretary of a military department shall—

(A) implement standardized reporting procedures with respect to the Joint DNBI System;

(B) ensure compliance with such system at all command levels; and

(C) incorporate disease and non-battle injury metrics into readiness assessments.

The Joint Staff and the commanders of the combatant commands shall incorporate data from the Joint DNBI System into operational risk assessments and campaign planning.

The Director of the Defense Health Agency shall—

(A) develop the concept of operations for the Joint DNBI System; and

(B) implement policy guidance from the Secretary of Defense and ensure such system achieves full operational capability.

The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the Joint DNBI System complies with—

(1) section 552a of title 5 (commonly known as the Privacy Act of 1974);

(2) the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–191); and

(3) all applicable cybersecurity and data protection requirements.

Not later than March 1 of each year beginning in the first full fiscal year following implementation of the Joint DNBI System, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on trends in disease and non-battle injury and associated readiness impacts.

This section shall terminate on September 30, 2032.

In this section, the term disease and non-battle injury means any medical condition not directly attributable to hostile action, including infectious disease, environmental exposure, occupational injury, training-related injury, heat or cold injury, and other non-combat-related conditions affecting readiness.

The Secretary of Defense shall—

(1) not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, issue implementing guidance for the Joint Disease and Non-Battle Injury Surveillance and Readiness System established under section 1110c of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a);

(2) not later than 18 months after such date of enactment, achieve initial operating capability for such system; and

(3) not later than 36 months after such date of enactment, achieve full operating capability for such system.

Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report describing—

(1) progress of implementation of the Joint Disease and Non-Battle Injury Surveillance and Readiness System established under section 1110c of title 10, United States Code, as added by subsection (a);

(2) identified capability gaps with respect to such system; and

(3) resource requirements for such system.

The Medical Service Corps of the Army shall maintain a dedicated aeromedical evacuation capability, including personnel, training, doctrine, and aircraft specifically configured for aeromedical evacuation missions.

The Secretary of the Army shall ensure that—

(1) the aviation branch of the Army has the authority to organize, train, and equip aviation assets in accordance with operational requirements; and

(2) the medical department of the Army, under the authority delegated to such department by the Surgeon General of the Army, has the authority for medical command and control, patient care responsibilities, and clinical standards for aeromedical evacuation operations.

The Secretary of the Army shall maintain the capability required under subsection (a)—

(1) in alignment with the sufficiency analysis of the Surgeon General of the Army;

(2) consistent with medical evacuation doctrine and operational planning assumptions of the Army; and

(3) in support of—

(A) the commanders of the combatant commands;

(B) contingency operations and operational plans;

(C) civil authorities;

(D) chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear response force missions;

(E) humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations; and

(F) garrison emergency medical response operations at installations of the Department of Defense.

The capability required under subsection (a) shall remain a distinct component within the Medical Service Corps of the Army and may not be restructured into general-purpose aviation elements or dual-use configurations without prior notification to the congressional defense committees, which shall—

(A) be accompanied by a formal risk assessment on—

(i) operational medical readiness of the Medical Service Corps; and

(ii) readiness of the Medical Service Corps to support the joint force and missions specified under subsection (c)(3); and

(B) contain a report that—

(i) is based on the force structure authorizations outlined in the most current Army Structure Message;

(ii) is informed by the most current Total Army Analysis approved by the Secretary of the Army; and

(iii) does not propose or assume any changes to the aircraft authorizations reflected in the documents specified in clauses (i) and (ii).

Any adjustments made to the force structure of the aeromedical evacuation capability of the Army must account for operational medical requirements and joint force needs where the Surgeon General of the Army retains authority over the medical force structure, staffing, clinical oversight, and doctrinal development for aeromedical evacuation units.

This section shall take effect on the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit augmentation of military patient movement operations with combatant, commercial, or allied assets in contingency or humanitarian operations, as determined necessary by the Secretary of Defense.

Not later than June 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense, working in coordination with the commanders of the appropriate combatant commands, shall seek to enter into a partnership with appropriate governmental counterparts in the Indo-Pacific and Arctic regions to establish a joint program focused on military trauma care and research.

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

(1) The sharing of relevant lessons learned in combat casualty care derived from prior conflicts.

(2) The conduct of joint conferences, symposia, and professional exchange programs involving military medical professionals from the United States and partner nations in the Indo-Pacific and Arctic regions.

(3) Collaboration on matters related to health policy, health administration, and medical logistics, including medical supplies and equipment, through structured knowledge exchanges.

(4) The conduct of joint research and development initiatives addressing the health effects of new and emerging weapons and methods of warfare.

(5) The establishment of agreements with military medical schools in the Indo-Pacific and Arctic regions to support reciprocal education programs under which—

(A) students of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences receive specialized military medical instruction at participating military medical schools in the Indo-Pacific and Arctic regions; and

(B) military medical personnel from partner nations in the Indo-Pacific and Arctic regions receive specialized military medical instruction at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, consistent with section 2114(f) of title 10, United States Code.

(6) The provision of assistance to partner nations in the Indo-Pacific and Arctic regions to support the development, sustainment, and modernization of combat casualty care systems and programs.

(7) Coordination, through the Joint Trauma System of the Defense Health Agency, of trauma care doctrine, data collection, performance improvement, and clinical best practices with the armed forces and military medical services of partner nations in the Indo-Pacific and Arctic regions, in coordination with United States Indo-Pacific Command, United States Northern Command, and United States European Command.

(8) The provision of training to the armed forces of partner nations in the Indo-Pacific and Arctic regions in the following areas:

(A) Health effects and medical response related to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive weapons.

(B) Trauma care.

(C) Preventive medicine and infectious disease.

(D) Post-traumatic stress disorder.

(E) Suicide prevention.

(F) Traumatic brain injury.

(G) Medical and health intelligence.

(H) Health policy and administration.

(9) The maintenance of a list of critical medical supplies and equipment required to support program objectives and regional readiness.

(10) Such other activities or program elements as the Secretary of Defense determines appropriate to advance the purposes of this section.

Not later than September 30, 2027, the Secretary of Defense shall establish, sustain, and resource a program to provide for the safe, long-range aerial transport of personnel of the Department of Defense known to be or suspected of being infected by a high-consequence infectious disease.

The program required under subsection (a) shall serve as the aeromedical evacuation component of a capability of the Department for high-consequence infectious disease response that supports independent military operations of the Department and integration with Federal, State, local, civilian, and academic partners.

In establishing and sustaining the program required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—

(1) develop and maintain curriculum and identify qualified instructors to train and certify military and civilian medical personnel on procedures associated with the safe, long-range aerial transport of patients with infectious diseases;

(2) establish and periodically update medical care standards, infection prevention and control measures, and operational safety protocols necessary to maximize patient survival and minimize infection risk to aircrew, medical personnel, and support personnel;

(3) serve as the joint force advocate and executive agent for aerial transport of personnel with high-consequence infectious diseases within the Department;

(4) establish standards, sustainment requirements, and lifecycle management processes for personal protective equipment, transport isolation systems, and associated medical equipment used in transporting infected patients;

(5) develop joint doctrine, concepts of operation, and medical force requirements necessary to support a Department-wide high-consequence infectious disease capability, including patient movement, definitive care, and integration across the continuum of care;

(6) inform the organization, training, and equipping of specialized, organized teams capable of conducting high-consequence infectious disease patient movement and care in operational, austere, and strategic environments;

(7) support interoperability and operational integration with Federal, State, local, civilian, and academic partners to enable coordinated response to tactical incidents, large-scale contingencies, and research activities related to emerging and future infectious disease threats; and

(8) identify capability gaps and support research, development, testing, and evaluation of medical countermeasures, transport systems, protective equipment, and operational procedures necessary to improve survivability, safety, and mission effectiveness in high-consequence infectious disease operations.