[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 7, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S3548]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4452. Mr. HEINRICH (for himself, Mr. Heller, and Mr. Udall) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 
2943, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2017 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; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       Strike section 1046 and replace with the following:

     SEC. 1046. INDEPENDENT STUDY ON OPERATION OF REMOTELY PILOTED 
                   AIRCRAFT BY ENLISTED AIR FORCE PERSONNEL.

       (a) Independent Study.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Air Force shall 
     obtain an independent review and assessment of officer and 
     enlisted pilots and crews in the remotely piloted aircraft 
     (RPA) enterprise that determines the following:
       (A) The appropriate future balance of officer and enlisted 
     pilots and crews in the remotely piloted aircraft enterprise.
       (B) Any potential impacts on the future structure of the 
     Air Force of incorporating enlisted personnel into the 
     piloting of remotely piloted aircraft.
       (2) Considerations in determining balance.--The balance 
     determined pursuant to the study shall be determined taking 
     into account relevant portions of the defense strategy, 
     critical assumptions, priorities, force-sizing constructs, 
     and costs.
       (b) Report.--Not later than April 14, 2017, the Secretary 
     shall submit to the congressional defense committees a 
     comprehensive report on the results of the study required by 
     subsection (a), including the following:
       (1) A detailed discussion of the specific assumptions, 
     observations, conclusions, and recommendations of the study.
       (2) A detailed description of the modeling and analysis 
     techniques used for the study.
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