[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 120 (Thursday, July 13, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2571]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 383. Mr. LANKFORD (for himself and Mr. Mullin) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2226, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 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 I, insert the following:

     SEC. __. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REDUCTIONS TO INVENTORY OF E-
                   3 AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM AIRCRAFT.

       (a) Prohibition.--None of the funds authorized to be 
     appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for 
     fiscal year 2024 for the Air Force may be obligated or 
     expended to retire, prepare to retire, or place in storage or 
     in backup aircraft inventory any E-3 aircraft if such actions 
     would reduce the total aircraft inventory for such aircraft 
     below 16.
       (b) Exception for Plan.--If the Secretary of the Air Force 
     submits to the congressional defense committees a plan for 
     maintaining readiness and ensuring there is no lapse in 
     mission capabilities, the prohibition under subsection (a) 
     shall not apply to actions taken to reduce the total aircraft 
     inventory for E-3 aircraft to below 16, beginning 30 days 
     after the date on which the plan is so submitted.
       (c) Exception for E-7 Procurement.--If the Secretary of the 
     Air Force procures enough E-7 Wedgetail aircraft to 
     accomplish the required mission load, the prohibition under 
     subsection (a) shall not apply to actions taken to reduce the 
     total aircraft inventory for E-3 aircraft to below 16 after 
     the date on which such E-7 Wedgetail aircraft are delivered.
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