[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 127 (Thursday, July 27, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4596-S4597]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 711. Mr. PORTMAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 2810, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2018 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 sections 1243 through 1250 and insert the following:
SEC. 1243. EXTENSION OF UKRAINE SECURITY ASSISTANCE
INITIATIVE.
(a) Extension.--Subsection (h) of section 1250 of the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016
(Public Law 114-92; 129 Stat. 1068), as amended by section
1237 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328; 130 Stat. 2494), is further
amended by striking ``December 31, 2018'' and inserting
``December 31, 2020''.
(b) Funding for Fiscal Year 2018.--Subsection (f) of such
section 1250, as added by subsection (a) of such section
1237, is further amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as
subparagraphs (A) and (B) and by moving such subparagraphs,
as so redesignated, two ems to the right;
(2) by striking ``From amounts'' and inserting the
following:
``(1) In general.--From amounts'';
(3) in paragraph (1), as redesignated by paragraph (2), by
adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(C) For fiscal year 2018, $500,000,000.''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Availability of amounts.--Amounts made available
pursuant to paragraph (1) for the purposes of subsection (a)
shall remain available until expended.''.
(c) Availability of Funds.--Subsection (c) of such section
1250, as amended by subsection (c) of such section 1237, is
further amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting after ``pursuant to
subsection (f)(2)'' the following: ``, or more than
$250,000,000 of the funds available for fiscal year 2018
pursuant to subsection (f)(3),'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in the first sentence--
(i) by inserting ``with respect to the fiscal year
concerned'' after ``is a certification''; and
(ii) by striking ``and improvement in transparency,
accountability, and potential opportunities for privatization
in the defense industrial sector'' and inserting
``sustainment, inventory management practices, progress in
improving the security of proprietary or sensitive foreign
defense technology''; and
(B) in the second sentence, by inserting after ``additional
action is needed'' the following: ``and a description of the
methodology used to evaluate whether Ukraine has made
progress in defense institutional reforms relative to
previously established goals and objectives''; and
(3) in paragraph (3)--
(A) by inserting ``or 2018'' after ``in fiscal year 2017'';
and
(B) by striking ``in paragraph (2), such funds may be used
in that fiscal year'' and inserting ``in paragraph (2) with
respect to such fiscal year, such funds may be used in such
fiscal year''.
SEC. 1244. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY ON TRAINING FOR EASTERN
EUROPEAN NATIONAL SECURITY FORCES IN THE COURSE
OF MULTILATERAL EXERCISES.
(a) Extension.--Subsection (h) of section 1251 of the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (10
U.S.C. 2282 note) is amended--
(1) by striking ``September 30, 2018'' and inserting
``December 31, 2020''; and
(2) by striking ``fiscal years 2016 through 2018'' and
inserting ``fiscal year 2016 through calendar year 2020''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--Such section is
further amended--
(1) by striking ``military'' each place it appears and
inserting ``security'';
(2) in subsection (e), by striking ``that'' and inserting
``than''; and
(3) in subsection (f), by striking ``section 2282'' and
inserting ``chapter 16''.
SEC. 1245. SECURITY ASSISTANCE FOR BALTIC NATIONS FOR JOINT
PROGRAM FOR RESILIENCY AND DETERRENCE AGAINST
AGGRESSION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense may, with the
concurrence of the Secretary of State, conduct or support a
joint program of the Baltic nations to improve their
resilience against and build their capacity to deter
aggression by the Russian Federation.
(b) Joint Program.--For purposes of subsection (a), a joint
program of the Baltic nations may be either of the following:
(1) A program jointly agreed by the Baltic nations that
builds interoperability among those countries.
(2) An agreement for the joint procurement by the Baltic
nations of defense articles or services using assistance
provided pursuant to subsection (a).
(c) Participation of Other Countries.--Any country other
than a Baltic nation may participate in the joint program
described in subsection (a), but only using funds of such
country.
(d) Limitation on Amount.--The total amount of assistance
provided pursuant to subsection (a) in fiscal year 2018 may
not exceed $100,000,000.
(e) Funding.--Amounts for assistance provided pursuant to
subsection (a) shall be derived from amounts authorized to be
appropriated by this Act and available for the European
Deterrence Initiative (EDI).
(f) Baltic Nations Defined.--In this section, the term
``Baltic nations'' means the following:
(1) Estonia.
(2) Latvia.
(3) Lithuania.
SEC. 1246. ANNUAL REPORT ON MILITARY AND SECURITY
DEVELOPMENTS INVOLVING THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION.
Section 1245(b) of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ``Buck''
McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2015 (Public Law 113-291; 128 Stat. 3566), as most recently
amended by section 1235(a) of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328;
130 Stat. 2490), is further amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (14) through (20) as
paragraphs (15) through (21), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (13) the following new
paragraph (14):
``(14) An assessment of Russia's hybrid warfare strategy
and capabilities, including--
``(A) Russia's information warfare strategy and
capabilities, including the use of misinformation,
disinformation, and propaganda in social and traditional
media;
``(B) Russia's financing of political parties, think tanks,
media organizations, and academic institutions;
``(C) Russia's malicious cyber activities;
``(D) Russia's use of coercive economic tools, including
sanctions, market access, and differential pricing,
especially in energy exports; and
``(E) Russia's use of criminal networks and corruption to
achieve political objectives.''.
SEC. 1247. ANNUAL REPORT ON ATTEMPTS OF THE RUSSIAN
FEDERATION TO PROVIDE DISINFORMATION AND
PROPAGANDA TO MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES BY
SOCIAL MEDIA.
(a) Annual Report Required.--Not later than March 31 each
year, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the
congressional defense committees a report on attempts by the
Russian Federation, or any foreign person acting as an agent
of or on behalf of the Russian Federation, during the
preceding year to knowingly disseminate Russian Federation-
supported disinformation or propaganda, through social media
applications or related Internet-based means, to members of
[[Page S4597]]
the Armed Forces with probable intent to cause injury to the
United States or advantage the Government of the Russian
Federation.
(b) Form.--Each report under this section shall be
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified
annex.
SEC. 1248. SUPPORT OF EUROPEAN DETERRENCE INITIATIVE TO DETER
RUSSIAN AGGRESSION.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Military exercises, such as Exercise Nifty Nugget and
Exercise Reforger during the Cold War, have historically made
important contributions to testing operational concepts,
technologies, and leadership approaches; identifying limiting
factors in the execution of operational plans and appropriate
corrective action; and bolstering deterrence against
adversaries by demonstrating United States military
capabilities.
(2) Military exercises with North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) allies enhance the interoperability and
strategic credibility of the alliance.
(3) The increase in conventional, nuclear, and hybrid
threats by the Russian Federation against the security
interests of the United States and allies in Europe requires
substantial and sustained investment to improve United States
combat capability in Europe.
(4) The decline of a permanent United States military
presence in Europe in recent years increases the likelihood
the United States will rely on being able to flow forces from
the continental United States to the European theater in the
event of a major contingency.
(5) Senior military leaders, including the Commander of
United States Transportation Command, have warned that a
variety of increasingly advanced capabilities, especially the
proliferation of anti-access, area denial (A2/AD)
capabilities, have given adversaries of the United States the
ability to challenge the freedom of movement of the United
States military in all domains from force deployment to
employment to disrupt, delay, or deny operations.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that,
to enhance the European Deterrence Initiative and bolster
deterrence against Russian aggression, the United States,
together with North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies and
other European partners, should demonstrate its resolve and
ability to meet its commitments under Article V of the North
Atlantic Treaty through appropriate military exercises with
an emphasis on participation of United States forces based in
the continental United States and testing strategic and
operational logistics and transportation capabilities.
(c) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than March 1, 2018, the
Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional
defense committees a report setting forth the following:
(A) An analysis of the challenges to the ability of the
United States to flow significant forces from the continental
United States to the European theater in the event of a major
contingency.
(B) The plans of the Department of Defense, including the
conduct of military exercises, to address such challenges.
(2) Form.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall be
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified
annex.
SEC. 1249. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE EUROPEAN DETERRENCE
INITIATIVE.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the European Deterrence Initiative will bolster efforts
to deter further Russian aggression by providing resources
to--
(A) train and equip the military forces of North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO) and non-North Atlantic Treaty
Organization partners in order to improve responsiveness,
expand expeditionary capability, and strengthen combat
effectiveness across the spectrum of security environments;
(B) enhance the indications and warning, interoperability,
and logistics capabilities of Allied and partner military
forces to increase their ability to respond to external
aggression, defend sovereignty and territorial integrity, and
preserve regional stability;
(C) improve the agility and flexibility of military forces
required to address threats across the full spectrum of
domains and effectively operate in a wide array of coalition
operations across diverse global environments from North
Africa and the Middle East to Eastern Europe and the Arctic;
and
(D) mitigate potential gaps forming in the areas of
information warfare, Anti-Access Area Denial, and force
projection;
(2) investments that support the security and stability of
Europe, and that assist European nations in further
developing their security capabilities, are in the long-term
vital national security interests of the United States; and
(3) funds for such efforts should be authorized and
appropriated in the base budget of the Department of Defense
in order to ensure continued and planned funding to address
long-term stability in Europe, reassure the European allies
and partners of the United States, and deter further Russian
aggression.
SEC. 1250. ENHANCEMENT OF UKRAINE SECURITY ASSISTANCE
INITIATIVE.
Section 1250(b) of National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114-92; 126 Stat. 1068), as
amended by section 1237(b) of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328;
130 Stat. 2495), is further amended by adding at the end the
following new paragraphs:
``(12) Treatment of wounded Ukraine soldiers in the United
States in medical treatment facilities through the
Secretarial Designee Program, and transportation, lodging,
meals, and other appropriate non-medical support in
connection with such treatment (including incidental expenses
in connection with such support).
``(13) Air defense and coastal defense radars.
``(14) Naval mine and counter-mine capabilities.
``(15) Littoral-zone and coastal defense vessels.''.
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