Assistance for partner countries to develop and maintain military-wide transformational strategies for operational energy

(a)

Establishment

(1)

In general

Not later than January 1, 2025, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a partnership program to assist the military forces of partner countries in developing and maintaining military-wide transformational strategies for operational energy (in this section referred to as the Program).(2)

Organization

The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, the Secretaries of the military departments, the commanders of the combatant commands, and any other individual the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate, shall be responsible for, and shall oversee, the Program.(b)

Objective

The objective of the Program is to promote the readiness of the United States Armed Forces and the military forces of partner countries for missions in contested logistics environments by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and employing more diverse and renewable operational energy sources so as to enhance energy security, energy resilience, and energy conservation, reduce logistical vulnerabilities, and ensure that supply lines are resilient to climate change, disruptions to energy supplies, and direct or indirect cyber attacks. (c)

Activities

(1)

In general

Under the Program, the United States Armed Forces and the military forces of each participating partner country shall, in coordination—(A)establish policies to improve warfighting capability through energy security and energy resilience;(B)integrate efforts to mitigate mutual contested logistics challenges through the reduction of operational energy demand;(C)identify and mitigate operational energy challenges presented by any contested logistics environment, including through developing innovative delivery systems, distributed storage, flexible contracting, and improved automation;(D)assess and integrate, to the extent practicable, any technology, including electric, hydrogen, nuclear, biofuels, and any other sustainable fuel technology or renewable energy technology, that may reduce operational energy demand in the near term or long term;(E)assess and consider any infrastructure investment of allied and partner countries that may affect operational energy availability in the event of a conflict with a near-peer adversary; and(F)assess and integrate, to the extent practicable—(i)any technology that increases sustainability and lowers emissions; and(ii)any practice, technology or strategy that reduces negative impacts on human health.(2)

Country considerations

In carrying out any activity under paragraph (1), to the extent practicable, the relevant existing and past military conflicts and cultural practices of, and beliefs prevalent in, the participating country shall be taken into account.(d)

Strategy

(1)

In general

Not later than September 30, 2024, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a strategy for the implementation of the Program.(2)

Elements

The strategy required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:(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 selected to participate in the Program.(B)With respect to the selection of partner countries initially selected to participate in the Program—(i)an identification of each such country;(ii)the rationale for selecting each such country, including a description of—(I)the benefits to the military forces of the partner country; and (II)the benefits to the United States Armed Forces of participation by such country; (iii)a description of any limitation on the participation of a selected partner country; and (iv)any other information the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate.(C)A list of additional authorities, appropriations, or other congressional support necessary to ensure the success of the Program.(D)A campaign of objectives for the first three fiscal years of the Program, including—(i)a description of, and a rationale for selecting, such objectives;(ii)an identification of milestones toward achieving such objectives; and(iii)metrics for evaluating success in achieving such objectives.(E)A description of opportunities and potential timelines for future Program expansion, as appropriate.(F)Any other information the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate. (3)

Form

The strategy required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.(e)

Report

(1)

In general

Not later than September 20, 2025, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees (as defined in section 101 of title 10, United States Code) a report on the Program.(2)

Elements

Each report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:(A)A narrative summary of activities conducted as part of the Program during the preceding fiscal year.(B)Except in the case of the initial report, an assessment of progress toward the objectives established for the preceding fiscal year described in the preceding report under this subsection using the metrics established in such report.(C)A campaign of objectives for the three fiscal years following the date of submission of the report, including—(i)a description of, and a rationale for selecting, such objectives;(ii)an identification of milestones toward achieving such objectives; and(iii)metrics for evaluating success in achieving such objectives.(D)A description of opportunities and potential timelines for future Program expansion, as appropriate.(E)Any other information the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate. (3)

Form

Each report required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex. (f)

Termination

The Program shall terminate on December 31, 2029.(g)

Contested logistics environment defined

In this section, the term contested logistics environment means an environment in which the United States Armed Forces or the military forces of a partner country engage in conflict with an adversary that presents challenges in all domains and directly targets logistics operations, facilities, and activities in the United States, abroad, or in transit from one location to the other.