[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2140. Mr. CRUZ 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 C of title III, add the following:
SEC. 3__. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO SUSTAINMENT OF B-1 FLEET
FOR THE AIR FORCE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Air Force shall
ensure that--
(1) the mission capable rate of the B-1 fleet is not less
than 70 percent; and
(2) the structural life of such fleet is sufficient to
2040.
(b) Briefing.--
(1) Initial briefing.--Not later than 30 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air
Force shall brief the congressional defense committees on the
current state of readiness and continued sustainment of the
B-1 fleet and any gaps or necessary steps to take relating to
the requirements under subsection (a).
(2) Quarterly briefing.--If the requirements under
subsection (a) have not been met, not later than 60 days
after the briefing under paragraph (1), and not less
frequently than quarterly thereafter until such requirements
have been met, the Secretary of the Air Force shall brief the
congressional defense committees on, with respect to the B-1
fleet, the following:
(A) A description of any structural issues or technical
deficiencies.
(B) A plan for continued structural deficiency data
analysis and training.
(C) A description of projected repair timelines.
(D) A description of future mitigation strategies,
including an analysis of the support requirement for each
aircraft.
(E) An aircrew maintainer training plan, including a plan
to ensure that the training pipeline remains steady for any
degradation period.
(F) An identification of any deficiencies in equipment or
funds required to meet the requirements under subsection (a).
(G) A recovery timeline to meet the requirements under
subsection (a).
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