[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 116 (Wednesday, June 24, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3232-S3233]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1709. Mr. HAWLEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 4049, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2021 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 377 and insert the following:
SEC. 377. COMMISSION ON THE NAMING OF ASSETS OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THAT COMMEMORATE THE
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA OR ANY PERSON WHO
SERVED VOLUNTARILY WITH THE CONFEDERATE STATES
OF AMERICA.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish a
commission relating to the assigning, modifying, keeping, or
removing of names, symbols, displays, monuments, and
paraphernalia of assets of the Department of Defense that
commemorate the Confederate States of America or any person
who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America
(in this section referred to as the ``Commission'').
(b) Membership.--
(1) In general.--The Commission shall be composed of eight
members, of whom--
(A) two shall be appointed by the President;
(B) two shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense;
(C) one shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Committee
on Armed Services of the Senate;
(D) one shall be appointed by the Ranking Member of the
Committee on Armed Services of the Senate;
(E) one shall be appointed by the Chairman of the Committee
on Armed Services of the House of Representatives; and
(F) one shall be appointed by the Ranking Member of the
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
(2) Appointment.--Members of the Commission shall be
appointed not later than 45 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(c) Initial Meeting.--The Commission shall hold its initial
meeting on the date that is 60 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(d) Duties.--The Commission shall do the following:
(1) Assess the cost of renaming or removing names, symbols,
displays, monuments, or paraphernalia on assets of the
Department of Defense that commemorate the Confederate States
of America or any person who served voluntarily with the
Confederate States of America.
(2) Develop criteria to assess whether an existing name,
symbol, display, monument, or paraphernalia commemorates or
valorizes the Confederate States of America or any person who
served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America.
(3) Develop criteria to assess whether the predominant
meaning now given by the local community to an existing name,
symbol, display, monument, or paraphernalia that commemorates
the Confederate States of America or any person who served
voluntarily with the Confederate States of America has
changed since the name, symbol, monument, display, or
paraphernalia first became associated with an asset of the
Department of Defense.
(4) Nominate names, symbols, displays, monuments, or
paraphernalia to be potentially renamed or removed from
assets of the Department of Defense based on the criteria
developed under paragraphs (2) and (3).
(5) Develop proposed procedures for renaming or removing
names, symbols, displays, monuments, or paraphernalia that
commemorate the Confederate States of America or any person
who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America
that the Commission nominates as suitable candidates for
renaming or removal, as the case may be, if such procedures
do not already exist within directives, issuances, or
regulations issued by the Department of Defense.
(6) Ensure that input from State and local stakeholders is
substantially reflected in the criteria developed under
paragraphs (2) and (3), nominations made under paragraph (4),
and procedures developed under paragraph (5), including by--
(A) conducting public hearings on such criteria,
nominations, and procedures in the States that would be
affected by any renaming or removal; and
(B) soliciting input on such criteria, nominations, and
procedures from the State entities, local government
entities, military families, veterans service organizations,
military service organizations, community organizations, and
other non-government entities that would be affected by any
renaming or removal.
(e) Procedures.--
(1) Hearings.--Not later than 14 days before a hearing to
be conducted under subsection (d)(6)(A), the Commission shall
publish on a website of the Department of Defense--
(A) an announcement of such hearing; and
(B) an agenda for the hearing and a list of materials
relevant to the topics to be discussed at the hearing.
(2) Solicitation of input.--Not later than 60 days before
soliciting input under subsection (d)(6)(B) with respect to a
renaming or removal, the Commission shall provide notice to
State entities, local government entities, military families,
veterans service organizations, military service
organizations, community organizations, and other non-
government entities that would be affected by the renaming or
removal to provide those individuals and entities time to
consider and comment on the criteria, nominations, and
procedures being developed under subsection (d).
(f) Exemption for Grave Markers.--
(1) In general.--Any renaming or removal proposed under
this section or conducted pursuant to this section shall not
apply to grave markers.
(2) Grave markers defined.--For purposes of this
subsection, the term ``grave marker'' has the meaning given
that term by the Commission.
(g) Briefings and Reports.--
(1) Briefing.--Not later than October 1, 2021, the
Commission shall brief the Secretary of Defense and the
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of
Representatives detailing the progress of the Commission in
carrying out the requirements of the Commission under
subsection (d).
(2) Briefing and report.--Not later than October 1, 2022,
the Commission shall brief and provide a written report to
the Secretary of Defense and the Committees on Armed Services
of the Senate and the House of Representatives detailing the
results of requirements of the Commission under subsection
(d), including the following:
(A) A list of assets of the Department of Defense to be
renamed or removed.
(B) The costs associated with the renaming or removal of
such assets.
[[Page S3233]]
(C) A description of the criteria used to nominate such
assets for renaming or removal.
(D) A description of the feedback received and incorporated
from State and local stakeholders pursuant to subsection
(d)(6), including a detailed explanation of any decision by
the Commission to overrule concerns raised by State or local
stakeholders when developing and issuing recommendations on
the criteria, nominations, and proposed procedures described
in paragraphs (2) through (5) of subsection (d).
(h) Funding.--
(1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated $2,000,000 to carry out this section.
(2) Offset.--The amount authorized to be appropriated by
this Act for fiscal year 2021 for Operation and Maintenance,
Army, sub activity group 434, other personnel support is
hereby reduced by $2,000,000.
(i) Assets of the Department of Defense Defined.--In this
section, the term ``assets of the Department of Defense''
includes any base, installation, street, building, facility,
aircraft, ship, plane, weapon, equipment, or any other
property owned or controlled by the Department of Defense.
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