[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 117 (Thursday, June 25, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3583]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2192. Mr. GRASSLEY 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 appropriate place in title IX, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. OFFICE OF NET ASSESSMENT.

       (a) Limitation on Funds Available.--The amount available 
     for programs, projects, and activities of the Office of Net 
     Assessment (ONA) in any fiscal year after fiscal year 2020 
     may not exceed $10,000,000.
       (b) Limitation on Research Contracts.--Any contract for 
     research entered into by the Office of Net Assessment after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act may only be for 
     research for purposes of the development and coordination of 
     net assessments as described in section 904 of the Carl Levin 
     and Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon National Defense Authorization 
     Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (10 U.S.C. 113 note).
       (c) Strategy on Elimination of Waste by ONA.--Not later 
     than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
     the Secretary of Defense shall develop and implement a 
     comprehensive strategy to provide for the following:
       (1) Proper contract oversight mechanisms are in place at 
     the Office of Net Assessment in order to ensure that--
       (A) financial waste is kept to a minimum;
       (B) research contracts comport with the purpose of a net 
     assessment under section 113 of title 10, United States Code; 
     and
       (C) all contract documents are collected and recorded as 
     required by section 113 of title 10, United States Code, and 
     applicable regulations.
       (2) A formal cost analysis by the Secretary of Defense on 
     an annual basis of actual cost of the performance of net 
     assessments by the Office of Net Assessment.
       (d) Inspector General of the Department of Defense 
     Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the 
     Department of Defense shall submit to the Secretary of 
     Defense and the congressional defense committees a report 
     setting forth the following:
       (1) A description and assessment of the extent to which the 
     Office of Net Assessment has failed to comply with law and 
     regulations in contracting for research projects during the 
     five-year period ending on September 30, 2020.
       (2) A description and assessment of the extent to which the 
     Secretary of Defense has developed and implemented the 
     comprehensive strategy required by subsection (c).
       (3) An assessment the effectiveness of the comprehensive 
     strategy required by subsection (c) in meeting each required 
     purpose of the strategy as specified in paragraphs (1) and 
     (2) of that subsection.
       (4) An analysis of the actual cost of net assessments to 
     assess whether the determination of the Secretary on the 
     actual cost of performance of annual net assessments by the 
     Office of Net Assessment is supported by the facts, and an 
     assessment whether annual net assessments can be performed by 
     the Office at a cost less than $10,000,000.
       (5) Such recommendations as the Inspector General considers 
     appropriate to address failures or shortfalls in the 
     performance of annual net assessments by the Office of Net 
     Assessment.
       (e) Comptroller General of the United States Report.--Not 
     later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
     submit to the Secretary of Defense and the congressional 
     defense committees a report setting forth the following:
       (1) The results of a comprehensive audit, conducted for 
     purposes of the report, of the effectiveness of the 
     comprehensive strategy required by subsection (c).
       (2) The results of an analysis, conducted for purposes of 
     the report, of the actual cost of performance of annual net 
     assessments by the Office of Net Assessment.
       (3) Such recommendations as the Comptroller General 
     considers appropriate to improve the oversight of the Office 
     of Net Assessment by the Department of Defense, and to ensure 
     compliance by the Office with applicable law and regulations 
     on contracting.
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