[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.
                                 ______