[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 157 (Wednesday, September 28, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S5482]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 5974. Mr. SULLIVAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 5499 submitted by Mr. Reed (for himself and Mr. Inhofe) 
and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 7900, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2023 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 A of title VI, add the following:

     SEC. 606. ALLOWANCE FOR BROADBAND FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE 
                   ARMED FORCES ASSIGNED TO PERMANENT DUTY 
                   STATIONS IN ALASKA.

       (a) Establishment.--Chapter 7 of title 37, United States 
     Code, is amended by inserting after section 425 the following 
     new section:

     ``Sec. 426. Allowance for broadband for certain members of 
       the armed forces assigned to permanent duty stations in 
       Alaska

       ``(a) Allowance Authorized.--The Secretary concerned shall 
     pay, to a member of the armed forces in the grade of E-5 or 
     below who is assigned to a permanent duty station in Alaska, 
     a monthly allowance for broadband.
       ``(b) Amount.--The monthly allowance to a member under this 
     section shall be--
       ``(1) $125 during calendar year 2023; and
       ``(2) in subsequent calendar years, an amount determined by 
     the Secretary of Defense based on the difference between the 
     average costs of unlimited broadband plans in Alaska and in 
     the continental United States.
       ``(c) Sunset.--No allowance may be paid under this section 
     after December 31, 2028.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the 
     item relating to section 425 the following:

``426. Allowance for broadband for certain members of the armed forces 
              assigned to permanent duty stations in Alaska.''.
       (c) Effective Date.--Section 426 of such title, as added by 
     subsection (a), shall take effect on the day the Secretary of 
     Defense prescribes regulations under subsection (d).
       (d) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
     prescribe regulations to carry out section 426 of such title, 
     as added by subsection (a).
       (e) Report.--Not later than December 31, 2027, the 
     Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
     Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
     report containing--
       (1) the evaluation of the Secretary of the allowance under 
     section 426 of such title, as added by subsection (a); and
       (2) any recommendation of the Secretary regarding whether 
     such allowance should be amended, extended, or made 
     permanent.
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