[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 130 (Thursday, July 27, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S3779]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1082. Mr. LANKFORD 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 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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