[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 12, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S5225]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 953. Mr. THUNE 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 D of title III, add the following:

     SEC. 338. REPORT ON OPTIMIZATION OF TRAINING IN AND 
                   MANAGEMENT OF SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Bases, Ranges, 
     and Airspace Directorate of the Air Force shall, in 
     consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration, submit to Congress a report on optimization 
     of training in and management of special use airspace that 
     includes the following:
       (1) Best practices for the management of special use 
     airspace including such practices that--
       (A) result in cost savings relating to training;
       (B) increase training opportunities for airmen;
       (C) increase joint use of such airspace;
       (D) improve coordination with respect to such airspace 
     with--
       (i) the Federal Aviation Administration;
       (ii) Indian tribes; and
       (iii) private landowners and other stakeholders; or
       (E) improve the coordination of large force exercises, 
     including the use of waivers or other exceptional measures.
       (2) An assessment of whether the capacity of ranges, 
     including limitations on flight operations, is adequate to 
     meet current and future training needs.
       (3) An assessment of whether the establishment of a 
     dedicated squadron for the purpose of coordinating the use of 
     a special use airspace at the installation located in that 
     airspace would improve the achievement of the objectives 
     described in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (1).
       (4) Recommendations for improving the management and 
     utilization of special use airspace to meet the objectives 
     described in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (1) 
     and to address any gaps in capacity identified under 
     paragraph (2).
       (b) Special Use Airspace Defined.--In this section, the 
     term ``special use airspace'' means special use airspace 
     designated under part 73 of title 14, Code of Federal 
     Regulations.
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