[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5890-S5891]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 6353. Mr. MANCHIN 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 XV, add the following:
SEC. 1509. NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH PROGRAM.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the acquisition approach for phase three of the
National Security Space Launch program should account for
changes in the launch industry and planned architectures of
the Space Force;
(2) the supply of launches for phase three may be impacted
by increases in commercial space launch demand;
(3) the Secretary of the Air Force should explore new and
innovative acquisition approaches to leverage launch
competition within the commercial market; and
(4) in developing the acquisition strategy for phase three,
the Secretary should--
(A) consider the scope of phase three manifest requirements
in comparison to the Orbital Services Program and other
potential contract vehicles for launches;
(B) ensure the continued assured access to space;
(C) emphasize free, fair, and open competition;
(D) capitalize on competition across the commercial launch
industry;
(E) examine all possible options for awarding contracts for
launches during the period covered by the phase, including,
block-buys, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity, and a
hybrid approach;
(F) consider tailorable mission assurance options informed
by previous launch vehicle performance metrics;
(G) include options for adding launch providers, launch
systems, or both, during the execution of phase three to
address manifest changes beyond the planned national security
space unique launches at the time of initial award;
(H) maintain understanding of the commercial launch
industry and launch capacity needed to fulfill the
requirements of the National Security Space Launch program;
and
(I) allow for rapid development and on-orbit deployment of
enabling and transformational technologies required to
address emerging requirements, including with respect to--
(i) delivery of in-space transportation, logistics, and on-
orbit servicing capabilities to enhance the persistence,
sensitivity, and resiliency of national security space
missions in a contested space environment;
(ii) proliferated low-Earth orbit constellation deployment;
(iii) routine access to extended orbits beyond
geostationary orbits, including cislunar orbits;
(iv) payload fairings that exceed current launch
requirements;
(v) increased responsiveness for heavy lift capability;
(vi) the ability to transfer orbits, including point-to-
point orbital transfers;
(vii) capacity and capability to execute secondary
deployments;
(viii) high-performance upper stages;
(ix) vertical integration; and
(x) other new missions that are outside the parameters of
the nine design reference missions that exist as of the date
of the enactment of this Act.
(b) Quarterly Briefings.--On a quarterly basis until the
date on which the Secretary of the Air Force awards a phase
three contract, the Commander of the Space Systems Command
shall provide to the appropriate congressional committees a
briefing on the development of the phase three acquisition
strategy, including how the matters described subsection (a)
are being considered in such strategy.
(c) Notification of Results of Mission Assignment Board.--
Not later than 14 days after the date on which a phase two
mission assignment board is completed, the Commander of the
Space Systems Command shall notify the appropriate
congressional committees of the launch assignment results of
the board.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the congressional defense committees with respect to
all briefings provided under
[[Page S5891]]
subsection (b) and notifications made under subsection (c);
and
(B) in addition to the congressional defense committees,
the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, and the
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of
Representatives with respect to--
(i) briefings required under subsection (b) regarding
requirements of the intelligence community being incorporated
into phase three planning; and
(ii) notifications made under subsection (c) regarding an
assignment that includes capabilities being launched for the
intelligence community.
(2) Intelligence community.--The term ``intelligence
community'' has the meaning given that term in section 3(4)
of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4)).
(3) Phase three.--The term ``phase three'' means, with
respect to the National Security Space Launch program, launch
missions ordered under the program after fiscal year 2024.
(4) Phase two.--The term ``phase two'' means, with respect
to the National Security Space Launch program, launch
missions ordered under the program during fiscal years 2020
through 2024.
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