[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4566 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4566

 To require the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, 
and the Secretary of the Army to carry out a pilot program on producing 
       parts through reverse engineering, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 18, 2024

  Mr. Grassley (for himself and Ms. Warren) introduced the following 
   bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed 
                                Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, 
and the Secretary of the Army to carry out a pilot program on producing 
       parts through reverse engineering, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Reverse Engineering should be used by the Department of 
        Defense, the Defense Logistics Agency, the Department of the 
        Navy, the Department of the Army, and the Department of the Air 
        Force to ensure that the Department of Defense receives the 
        best price for spare parts and increases competition in the 
        marketplace.
            (2) The findings of the July 2019 report by the Comptroller 
        General of the United States that was submitted to the 
        Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, entitled ``Defense 
        Logistics Agency Small Businesses Participate in Reverse 
        Engineering of Spare Parts'', demonstrates that reverse 
        engineering results in lowered prices and cost savings of spare 
        parts and increased competition in the spare parts marketplace. 
        The same report found small businesses did not identify 
        concerns with how the Defense Logistics Agency handles 
        intellectual property and that the Defense Logistics Agency had 
        not received any complaints about their intellectual property 
        being used inappropriately.
            (3) The Naval Air Systems Command's Advanced Laser Data 
        Acquisition Center, the Air Force's Tinker Reverse Engineering 
        and Critical Tooling Lab, and the Army's Cyber Command's 
        reverse engineering of Internet of Things devices, demonstrates 
        there is precedent for the Department of the Navy, the 
        Department of the Army, and the Department of the Air Force to 
        conduct reverse engineering programs.
            (4) Intellectual property rights can help spur innovation 
        and strengthen the economy of the United States. The Secretary 
        of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of 
        the Air Force should consult with the Defense Logistics Agency 
        and utilize the best practices to protect intellectual property 
        rights as described in the report described in paragraph (2).
            (5) Reverse Engineering ensures efficiency in the 
        manufacturing processes of military equipment ensuring timely 
        delivery and development of military equipment.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM ON USE OF REVERSE ENGINEERING FOR PRODUCTION OF 
              PARTS.

    (a) Pilot Program Required.--Not later than 2 years after the date 
of the enactment of this Act and notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Air Force, and the 
Secretary of the Army shall jointly, in consultation with the Secretary 
of Defense and the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency, complete a 
pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of producing 
parts through reverse engineering.
    (b) Identification of Parts.--In carrying out the pilot program 
required by subsection (a), the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of 
the Air Force, and the Secretary of the Army shall each identify parts, 
especially those procured on a sole source basis, that can be produced 
and competed through reverse engineering.
    (c) Production of Parts Through Reverse Engineering.--In carrying 
out the pilot program, the secretaries described in subsection (b) 
shall each, notwithstanding any other provision of law, produce not 
fewer than 50 parts, identified under such subsection, through reverse 
engineering.
    (d) Identification of Savings.--In carrying out the pilot program 
required by subsection (a), the secretaries described in subsection (b) 
shall each identify savings that were obtained through the use of 
reverse engineering for the production of the parts under the pilot 
program.
    (e) Interim Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the secretaries described in 
        subsection (b) shall, in consultation with the Secretary of 
        Defense, submit to the congressional defense committees an 
        initial report on the pilot program carried out under 
        subsection (a).
            (2) Contents.--The report submitted pursuant to paragraph 
        (1) shall include the following:
                    (A) The initial findings of the secretaries with 
                respect to the matters identified under subsections (b) 
                and (c).
                    (B) Such recommendations as the secretaries may 
                have for Department of Defense contracting guidance and 
                procedures.
    (f) Final Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than two years after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the secretaries described in 
        subsection (b) shall, in consultation with the Secretary of 
        Defense, submit to the congressional defense committees and 
        make available to the public a final report on the pilot 
        program completed under subsection (a).
            (2) Contents.--The report submitted pursuant to paragraph 
        (1) shall include the following:
                    (A) The findings of the secretaries with respect to 
                the matters identified under subsections (b) and (c).
                    (B) Such recommendations as the secretaries may 
                have for Department of Defense contracting guidance and 
                procedures.
                    (C) A description of the lessons learned by the 
                secretaries in carrying out the pilot program.
    (g) Definition of Congressional Defense Committees.--In this 
section, the term ``congressional defense committees'' has the meaning 
given such term in section 101(a) of title 10, United States Code.
                                 <all>