[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 146 (Monday, September 11, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S5137]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 892. Mr. HOEVEN 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:

       At the end of subtitle E of title V, add the following:

     SEC. ___. CIVILIAN TRAINING FOR NATIONAL GUARD PILOTS AND 
                   SENSOR OPERATOR AIRCREWS OF MQ-9 UNMANNED 
                   AERIAL VEHICLES.

       (a) Contracts for Training.--Subject to subsection (c), the 
     Chief of the National Guard Bureau may enter into one or more 
     contracts with appropriate civilian entities in order to 
     provide flying or operating training for National Guard 
     pilots and sensor operator aircrew members in the MQ-9 
     unmanned aerial vehicle if the Chief of the National Guard 
     Bureau determines that--
       (1) Air Force training units lack sufficient capacity to 
     train such pilots or sensor operator aircrew members for 
     initial qualification in the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle;
       (2) pilots or sensor operator aircrew members of Air 
     National Guard units require continuation training in order 
     to remain current and qualified in the MQ-9 unmanned aerial 
     vehicle;
       (3) non-combat continuation training in the MQ-9 unmanned 
     aerial vehicle is necessary for such pilots or sensor 
     operator aircrew members to achieve required levels of flying 
     or operating proficiency; or
       (4) such training for such pilots or sensor operator 
     aircrew members is necessary in order to meet requirements 
     for the National Guard to provide pilots and sensor operator 
     aircrew members qualified in the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle 
     for operations on active duty and in State status.
       (b) Nature of Training Under Contracts.--Any training 
     provided pursuant to a contract under subsection (a) shall 
     incorporate a level of instruction that is equivalent to the 
     instruction in the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle provided to 
     pilots and sensor operator aircrew members at Air Force 
     training units.
       (c) Authority Contingent on Certification.--The Chief of 
     the National Guard Bureau may not use the authority in 
     subsection (a) unless and until the Secretary of the Air 
     Force certifies to the congressional defense committees in 
     writing that the use of the authority is necessary to provide 
     required flying or operating training for National Guard 
     pilots and sensor operator aircrew members in the MQ-9 
     unmanned aerial vehicle.
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