[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2072. Mr. GARDNER 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:

       At the end of subtitle D of title IX, add the following:

     SEC. 952. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR 
                   UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS EDUCATION AND TRAINING.

       (a) Designation.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
     designate the United States Air Force Academy as the 
     Department of Defense Center of Excellence for Unmanned 
     Aerial Systems Education and Training (in this section 
     referred to as the ``Center'').
       (b) Partnerships.--The Secretary of Defense shall, with 
     direct support from the Secretary of the Air Force, ensure 
     that the Center collaborates across the Department of 
     Defense, with a focus on other military service academies, 
     research laboratories, and operational unmanned aerial 
     systems units (UAS), as well as other institutions of higher 
     education, industry, and appropriate public and private 
     entities (including international entities), to carry out the 
     responsibilities specified in subsection (c).
       (c) Responsibilities.--The Center shall do the following:
       (1) Develop and maintain a comprehensive academic 
     curriculum to leverage current and develop future unmanned 
     aerial systems technology, including aircraft design, command 
     and control, sensor technology, artificial intelligence, 
     mission systems, and tactics, techniques and procedures.
       (2) Build unmanned aerial systems airmanship, experience, 
     and expertise by providing a combat laboratory in which 
     cadets receive knowledge, experimental learning, and 
     familiarization with the manner in which the Department of 
     Defense employs joint, combined unmanned aerial systems 
     operations in a future multi-domain environment.
       (3) Enable experimentation and development of unmanned 
     aerial systems command and control systems, multiple systems 
     interoperability, common operating standards, autonomy, 
     simulation, sensor fusion, alternative modes of navigation, 
     and sense and avoid technologies.
       (4) Maintain faculty with current unmanned aerial systems 
     combat experience, as well as unmanned aerial systems 
     development and test experience, to educate a cadre of 
     military unmanned aerial systems professionals well into the 
     future.
       (5) Enhance capabilities, cooperation, and exchange of 
     information across the unmanned aerial systems community of 
     the Department.
       (6) Foster cooperation and collaboration between the 
     military service academies, civilian academia, research 
     laboratories and private sector to facilitate education, 
     research and development, lessons learned, and consultation 
     with respect to unmanned aerial systems.
       (7) Provide a forum to discuss industry trends, best 
     practices, innovative curriculum, and professional 
     opportunities with respect to unmanned aerial systems.
       (d) Certification.--Upon making the designation required by 
     subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall certify to the 
     Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives that the Secretary has made the designation 
     required by subsection (a) and is complying with subsection 
     (b).
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