[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 89 (Tuesday, June 7, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S3549]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4454. Mr. HEINRICH 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 1123 and insert the following:

     SEC. 1123. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY FOR SCIENTIFIC, ENGINEERING, 
                   AND OTHER POSITIONS FOR TEST AND EVALUATION 
                   FACILITIES OF THE MAJOR RANGE AND TEST FACILITY 
                   BASE.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense may, acting 
     through the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation and 
     the Directors of the test and evaluation facilities of the 
     Major Range and Test Facility Base of the Department of 
     Defense, appoint qualified candidates possessing a college 
     degree to scientific, engineering, technical, and key support 
     positions within the Office of the Director of Operational 
     Test and Evaluation and the test and evaluation facilities of 
     the Major Range and Test Facility Base without regard to the 
     provisions of subchapter I of chapter 33 of title 5, United 
     States Code, other than sections 3303 and 3328 of such title.
       (b) Limitation on Number.--
       (1) In general.--Authority under this section may not, in 
     any calendar year and with respect to the Office of the 
     Director of Operational Test and Evaluation or any test and 
     evaluation facility, be exercised with respect to a number of 
     candidates greater than the number equal to 5 percent of the 
     total number of positions described in subsection (a) within 
     the Office or such facility that are filled as of the close 
     of the fiscal year last ending before the start of such 
     calendar year.
       (2) Nature of appointment.--For purposes of this 
     subsection, any candidate appointed to a position under this 
     section shall be treated as appointed on a full-time 
     equivalent basis.
       (c) Termination.--The authority to make appointments under 
     this section shall not be available after December 31, 2021.
       (d) Major Range and Test Facility Base Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``Major Range and Test Facility Base'' 
     means the test and evaluation facilities that are designated 
     by the Secretary as facilities and resources comprising the 
     Major Range and Test Facility Base of the Department.
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