[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 12, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S5232]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 981. Mr. MORAN (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Kaine, Mr. 
Tillis, Mr. Heinrich, and Mrs. Gillibrand) 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 B of title II, add the following:

     SEC. __. SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL SECURITY INNOVATION AND 
                   ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) The ability of the Department of Defense to respond to 
     national security challenges would benefit by increased 
     workforce exposure to, and understanding of, modern problem-
     solving techniques and innovative methodologies.
       (2) Presenting national security problems to universities 
     and education centers will increase diverse stakeholder 
     participation in the rapid development of solutions to 
     national security challenges and improve Department of 
     Defense recruitment of young technologists and engineers with 
     critical skill sets, including cyber capabilities.
       (3) National security innovation and entrepreneurial 
     education would provide a unique pathway for veterans, 
     Federal employees, and military personnel to leverage their 
     training, experience, and expertise to solve emerging 
     national security challenges while learning cutting-edge 
     business innovation methodologies.
       (4) The benefits to be derived from supporting national 
     security innovation and entrepreneurial education programs 
     include--
       (A) enabling veterans and members of the Armed Forces to 
     apply their battlefield knowledge in a team environment to 
     develop innovative solutions to some of the United States' 
     most challenging national security problems;
       (B) encouraging students, university faculty, veterans, and 
     other technologists and engineers to develop new and vital 
     skill sets to solve real-world national security challenges 
     while introducing them to public service opportunities; and
       (C) providing an alternative pathway for the Department of 
     Defense to achieve critical agency objectives, such as 
     acquisition reform and the rapid deployment of new and 
     essential capabilities to America's warfighters.
       (b) Support Authorized.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense may, acting 
     through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and 
     Engineering, support national security innovation and 
     entrepreneurial education programs.
       (2) Elements.--Support under paragraph (1) may include the 
     following:
       (A) Materials to recruit participants, including veterans, 
     for programs described in paragraph (1).
       (B) Model curriculum for such programs.
       (C) Training materials for such programs.
       (D) Best practices for the conduct of such programs.
       (E) Experimental learning opportunities for program 
     participants to interact with operational forces and better 
     understand national security challenges.
       (F) Exchanges and partnerships with Department of Defense 
     science and technology activities.
       (G) Activities consistent with the Proof of Concept 
     Commercialization Pilot Program established under section 
     1603 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 
     Year 2014 (Public Law 113-66; 10 U.S.C. 2359 note).
       (c) Consultation.--In carrying out subsection (b), the 
     Secretary may consult with the heads of such Federal 
     agencies, universities, and public and private entities 
     engaged in the development of advanced technologies as the 
     Secretary determines to be appropriate.
       (d) Authorities.--The Secretary may--
       (1) develop and maintain metrics to assess national 
     security innovation and entrepreneurial education activities 
     to ensure standards for programs supported under subsection 
     (b) are consistent and being met; and
       (2) ensure that any recipient of an award under the Small 
     Business Technology Transfer program, the Small Business 
     Innovation Research program, and science and technology 
     programs of the Department of Defense has the option to 
     participate in training under a national security innovation 
     and entrepreneurial education program supported under 
     subsection (b).
       (e) Participation by Federal Employees and Members of the 
     Armed Forces.--The Secretary may encourage Federal employees 
     and members of the Armed Forces to participate in a national 
     security innovation and entrepreneurial education program 
     supported under subsection (b) in order to gain exposure to 
     modern innovation and entrepreneurial methodologies.
                                 ______