[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 100 (Thursday, June 13, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H3990-H4036]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





    SERVICEMEMBER QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENT AND NATIONAL DEFENSE 
                 AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287 and rule 
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the state of the Union for the further consideration of the bill, 
H.R. 8070.
  Will the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Flood) kindly take the chair.

                              {time}  1225


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the state of the Union for the further consideration of 
the bill (H.R. 8070) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2025 
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, with Mr. Flood (Acting Chair) in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The Acting CHAIR. When the Committee of the Whole rose on Wednesday, 
June 12, 2024, amendment No. 36, printed in Part B of House Report 118-
551, offered by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs) had been 
disposed of.


           Amendment No. 37 Offered by Ms. Greene of Georgia

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 37 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Ms. GREENE of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of subtitle D of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 12_. PROHIBITION ON ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINE.

       None of the funds made available by this Act may be used 
     for assistance to Ukraine.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentlewoman 
from Georgia (Ms. Greene) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Georgia.
  Ms. GREENE of Georgia. Mr. Chair, my amendment would say that none of 
the funds available in the NDAA may be used for assistance to Ukraine.
  I think this is an important amendment because I strongly support the 
NDAA. This is a great military funding bill that has many things 
involved in it that our military needs. It even contains a much-needed 
pay raise for our troops, and that is something I greatly believe in 
right now while many of our military members are suffering under this 
inflation caused by the Biden administration.
  I think it is extremely important for Members of Congress to be able 
to vote separately for funding of foreign wars, and I do not believe 
that funding for Ukraine should be a part of the NDAA.
  The mission statement on the Department of Defense's website says 
that its purpose and mission are to deter war and to ensure our 
Nation's security.
  Funding a war in Ukraine does not deter war. It funds it. Funding a 
war in Ukraine does not ensure our Nation's security, it actually puts 
us at risk for possible further military engagement with another 
nuclear-armed nation, and that is Russia.
  Americans do not support this and neither does the majority of the 
majority here in Congress, which has voted against funding the war in 
Ukraine.
  To date, Congress has appropriated $174.2 billion in emergency 
supplemental funding. That is a lot of Americans' hard-earned tax 
dollars going to support security for another country's border while 
our border is being invaded every single day.
  Not only is our border being invaded every single day by millions and 
millions of people from over 160 countries, there is also a war 
declared on our own country with human trafficking and drugs that are 
killing Americans every day. On average, there are 300 Americans dying 
from fentanyl overdoses every day. I believe that should be our focus 
in the United States Congress.
  It is also a war in Ukraine that is not defending democracy. 
Zelenskyy has canceled elections. He is now a dictator. Zelenskyy 
canceled free speech. Zelenskyy canceled freedom of religion, and 
Zelenskyy canceled free press. That is not defending democracy. That is 
actually attacking democracy.
  Americans do not support sending their hard-earned tax dollars to 
Ukraine. They support paying our military and funding our military, but 
not funding a war in a foreign country.

                              {time}  1230

  Over half of Americans think the United States has already spent too 
much money in Ukraine, and over 60 percent of Republicans do not 
support sending additional money to Ukraine. Even one in four Democrats 
don't support it anymore, according to recent polling.
  However, most importantly, the corruption in Ukraine is something 
that cannot be ignored. There has been report after report after report 
of money missing. The Pentagon cannot track over $1 billion, and there 
have been reports of much corruption. That involves our hard-earned tax 
dollars.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in 
opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the 
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers), the chairman of the committee.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chair, my colleague from Georgia will be 
pleased to learn that there is nothing in this year's NDAA that 
authorizes assistance to Ukraine. That money is provided through the 
supplemental appropriations bills.
  The problem with this amendment is it would cut off funds to maintain 
the deployment of marines to secure our Embassy in Kyiv. It would also 
cut off the DOD's ability to conduct and use monitoring of weapons 
systems the U.S. already has provided to Ukraine. We don't want them to 
fall into bad hands. We need to ensure those weapons stay in our hands. 
I urge Members to oppose this amendment.
  Ms. GREENE of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 45 seconds to the 
gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan).
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chairman, last week we saw that the allied effort 
to repeal the Russian invasion of Ukraine is an extension of the battle 
for freedom in Europe that unfolded on the beaches of Normandy 80 years 
ago.
  This was really crystallized when an American World War II veteran, 
Melvin Hurwitz, embraced President Zelenskyy and said: ``You are the 
savior of the people. You bring tears to my eyes. You are our hero.''
  As Speaker Johnson himself has said, just like Hitler continued 
marching when he was not repelled, Vladimir Putin will continue to 
march through Europe if not repelled. That is one thing the Speaker and 
I agree on.
  Any efforts to undermine our support of our allies in Ukraine should 
be opposed.
  Ms. GREENE of Georgia. Mr. Chair, according to the bill text in the 
NDAA, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the DSCA, is the account 
of the NDAA that funds Ukraine. The Ukraine Security Assistance 
Initiative, USAI, which annually appropriates $300 million in Ukraine, 
would receive the standard $300 million authorization again this year, 
so the funding is in there. That USAI funding is part of the DSCA line 
item. DSCA is receiving $2.389 billion in this NDAA, of which the $300 
million for Ukraine is a part, so the money is definitely in there. It 
has not been taken out.
  I will also inform Congress and the American people that a Ukrainian 
group called Texty recently published a list of Ukrainian enemies that 
includes almost 400 Americans, including Republican lawmakers. I am on 
that list, as are Conservative influencers, media groups, and antiwar 
activists.
  The group receives money from the U.S. State Department through a 
program called TechCamp. While that is not part of the NDAA, our money 
is going to fund NGOs in Ukraine that have declared U.S. lawmakers and 
Americans enemies. That is extremely dangerous. None of our hard-earned 
tax dollars should be funding any sort of group that thinks that we are 
the enemies while we are funding them.

[[Page H3991]]

  We also have no idea how many Ukrainians have been killed in this 
war. We asked for that number and have not heard. I urge Congress to 
pass my amendment.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson), a member of the House Armed Services 
Committee.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Chair, continuing to support the 
courageous people of Ukraine is not only the morally right thing to do, 
but it is also best for American families.
  War criminal Putin's invasion is a prelude to a conflict which is 
death to Ukraine, death to Israel, and death to America. We are in a 
conflict we didn't choose, with dictators and rule of gun opposing 
democracies with rule of law. The war began with war criminal Putin 
invading Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and Iranian puppets invading 
Israel on October 7, 2023.
  We should always remember--and I was grateful to be at Normandy last 
week--that it was President Ronald Reagan in 1984 who stated: `` . . . 
isolationism never was and never will be an acceptable response to 
tyrannical governments with an expansionist intent.'' We know that 
Putin has claimed that he wants to restore the Soviet Union. He already 
has invaded Georgia. He has invaded Moldova. He has Russian troops in 
Armenia. He has threatened Estonia and Poland. We know that he will not 
stop. We must be successful in Ukraine.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to the time 
remaining.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman has 2\3/4\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan).
  Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chair, I rise with the strongest possible 
opposition to this amendment prohibiting assistance to Ukraine. This 
represents the most extreme and shortsighted position of some of the 
Members of the House of Representatives, particularly Republicans, with 
respect to global security. Too many have tried to stop or strip 
funding from Ukraine whenever they literally have the chance to, and 
here is yet another example.

  This amendment, like others that were considered and failed last year 
and this year, is misguided and against the will of the American 
people. Thus, it is against the will of the legislative body. Indeed, 
in April we overwhelmingly voted to support Ukraine, 311-112-1, not 
even close, which further proves the very unseriousness and waste of 
time of this amendment.
  What some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle fail to 
recognize and to appreciate is that not only does the American public 
support Ukraine, but that supporting Ukraine actually, indeed, helps 
the American public by avoiding further instability in Europe just 
miles from NATO. It, indeed, deters war. This amendment would 
irreversibly hurt our posture on the world stage. I urge Members to 
oppose it.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the 
gentlewoman from New Jersey (Ms. Sherrill).
  Ms. SHERRILL. Mr. Chair, many of my colleagues across the aisle are 
not content with delaying necessary aid to Ukraine for months at the 
cost of countless innocent lives, but are once again playing right into 
Putin's hands and attempting to block all American assistance to 
Ukraine.
  The rest of the world, literally all of our allies, understand that a 
Ukrainian victory is necessary to prevent further Russian aggression, 
deter an invasion of Taiwan, and preserve the global democratic order. 
Republican national security leaders, including the chairs of the Armed 
Services, Intelligence, and Defense Appropriations Committees 
understand that this funding is critical to our own defense industrial 
base. However, instead of working to strengthen our national security, 
we are once again having an argument that my colleague across the aisle 
has lost over and over and over again.
  My colleague is comfortable handing over Ukraine and the rest of 
Europe to Putin. The rest of this House, the rest of Congress, and the 
rest of the world reject it. Enough. I urge my colleagues to oppose 
this amendment.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of 
my time just to say we need to support Ukraine. Ukraine was brutally 
invaded by Putin. The only way to make this war stop is to make Ukraine 
strong enough so that Putin realizes he cannot succeed. Please defeat 
this amendment and continue to support Ukraine. Mr. Chair, I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Georgia (Ms. Greene).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Ms. GREENE. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Georgia 
will be postponed.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Chair understands that amendment No. 38 will 
not be offered.
  The Chair understands that amendment No. 39 will not be offered.


                 Amendment No. 40 Offered by Mr. Gaetz

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 40 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mr. GAETZ. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Page 549, after line 15, insert the following new section:

     SEC. 10_. PROHIBITION ON SALE OR TRANSFER OF CLUSTER 
                   MUNITIONS OR MUNITIONS TECHNOLOGY.

       None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act 
     or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2025 for the 
     Department of Defense may be made available to furnish 
     cluster munitions, to facilitate any export license for 
     cluster munitions, or to otherwise sell or transfer any 
     cluster munitions or cluster munitions technology.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Gaetz) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. GAETZ. Mr. Chair, this amendment creates a prohibition on the 
transfer of cluster munitions.
  I thank my co-lead on this measure, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, and 
many of the Members who have been fighting to get rid of cluster 
munitions as part of modern warfare, including Representatives Titus, 
Omar, and McGovern. I would simply observe, if there is an amendment 
that is supported by Omar to Gaetz with Jacobs and McGovern and Titus 
in it, it must be a great idea and we ought to probably adopt it.
  According to The New York Times, since World War II, cluster 
munitions have killed an estimated 86,500 civilians. Additionally, 
Human Rights Watch and the U.N. have reported that cluster munitions in 
Ukraine have killed or wounded 890 people in 2022, 95 percent of whom 
were civilians. If Congress continues to flood the battlefield in 
Ukraine with indiscriminate killing instruments like cluster munitions, 
the blood of everyone impacted, including children harmed, will indeed 
be on our hands.
  We should halt the transfer of cluster munitions to any country. We 
stand rarely isolated in the modern world by still sending these 
things. I mean, we are still demining cluster munitions in Laos, for 
goodness sake. I hate the notion that American taxpayers are going to 
have to pay for cluster munitions, a bunch of civilians are going to 
die, and then years from now, we will be back here paying to demine the 
very cluster munitions we sent out.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MOULTON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Massachusetts is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mr. MOULTON. Mr. Chair, I begin by yielding 30 seconds to the 
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers), the chairman of the committee and 
my friend.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for yielding. 
This amendment would have serious consequences to our allies and 
partners in the Indo-Pacific as they face down China and North Korea.
  Former INDOPACOM Commander Admiral Harris highlighted that cluster 
munitions are essential in a potential conflict with North Korea. I 
would

[[Page H3992]]

point out China and Russia have not banned cluster munitions. We also 
should not wait until the fighting starts to transfer these weapons.
  Deterrence depends on getting real and effective weapons like cluster 
munitions in place before a potential fight. I urge a ``no'' vote on 
this amendment.
  Mr. GAETZ. Mr. Chair, I simply observe that North Koreans have 
nuclear weapons. If we are relying on cluster munitions as the 
deterrent, it seems to be pretty nonsensical.
  I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Jacobs), the co-lead on this measure.
  Ms. JACOBS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment with 
Congressman Gaetz to prohibit the transfer of cluster munitions.
  Most U.S. allies, including almost every NATO member, have joined the 
Convention on Cluster Munitions, but not the United States. That is a 
grave mistake because these weapons maim and kill civilians 
indiscriminately and can be lethal indefinitely.
  It is reported that up to 40 percent of these weapons don't explode 
on impact. If they don't explode, they become literal ticking time 
bombs, scattering tiny bomblets that are more like landmines. Even if 
the dud rate is far lower than 40 percent, the risk to civilians, to 
children, to our moral authority is too great.
  In 2021, the Landmine and Cluster Munitions Monitor found that over 
97 percent of casualties from cluster bomb remnants were civilians, and 
two-thirds of those were children. That is because these deadly weapons 
don't look dangerous. In fact, they look interesting to kids. They look 
like toys. When kids find these weapons in trees, in water, or on the 
ground, they often try to pick them up and can end up losing a limb or 
their life.
  No amount of guardrails for cluster munitions is enough. No amount of 
so-called tactical advantage is enough. It isn't enough to say the 
other side is doing it, so we might as well, too. It is not worth it 
when civilian lives are at stake. It is not worth it when our 
reputation is at stake.
  Our commitment to our core democratic values, like protecting 
civilians, abiding by international humanitarian law, and upholding 
human rights is the foundation of our reputation on the world stage, 
and it is what allows us to build and maintain international coalitions 
to make the world a better place and advance our national security 
goals. That is why we need to ban the transfer of these weapons. I urge 
my colleagues to support this amendment.

                              {time}  1245

  Mr. MOULTON. Mr. Chairman, I point out that we all care about 
Ukrainian kids, but do you know who cares about Ukrainian kids the 
most? Ukrainians.
  Ukrainians care about Ukrainian kids. They are the ones asking for 
these munitions to use on their own territory. They understand the 
consequences. They understand the dud rates. They understand the 
danger.
  Most of all, they understand the danger of losing this war to Russia, 
of having their kids kidnapped, taken away, or killed.
  That is why the Ukrainians want these munitions, and that is why we 
are giving them to them.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GAETZ. Mr. Chairman, I would object to the proposition that the 
House of Representatives has to outsource our thinking on the cluster 
munitions question to Ukraine. When did we substitute their judgment 
for ours?
  I think that this notion that they are essential to warfighting is 
belied by the actual casualty numbers. If you believe that 95 percent 
of the people killed were children, not enemy combatants, which is what 
The New York Times is telling us, then I think that adoption of the 
amendment is appropriate.
  We should not be in a race to the bottom for the weapons systems that 
are the least discriminate and most harmful to people who are not 
engaged in warfare.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MOULTON. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson), my friend.
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I oppose this amendment. 
Prohibiting the transfer of cluster munitions, specifically in the 
context of Ukraine, would have disastrous impacts on the Ukrainian 
ability to push back war criminal Putin's barbaric invasion of Ukraine.
  Russia is currently using every weapon in its arsenal, including 
cluster munitions, to murder civilians and hit civilian infrastructure. 
I have seen firsthand in Bucha, Ukraine, where families were forced 
from their homes, their hands tied behind their backs, and then the 
Putin troops shot members of the family in the head and buried them in 
the yard. We must fight back.
  Additionally, in the Indo-Pacific, it has been reported by Admiral 
Harry Harris that this is a deterrent to the dictatorship of Kim Jong-
un of North Korea, and we know that is the largest artillery complex in 
the world facing the people of Seoul, Korea.
  We are in a conflict we did not choose with dictators with rule of 
gun invading democracies with rule of law, threatening civilians, and 
it has always been clear that Ukraine is the first invasion of this 
current conflict.
  With further promises by Putin to restore the Soviet Union by 
invading Georgia and Moldova, threatening Armenia, Estonia, and Poland, 
we know that we must support Ukraine. It is existential for Ukraine, 
and it is existential for the United States.
  We can see that today, as Putin has sent nuclear warships to Cuba, 90 
miles away from our border. We must stand together with the people of 
Ukraine and provide them the best equipment to stop the war criminal 
Putin.
  Mr. GAETZ. Mr. Chairman, I sure hope we don't have to rely on cluster 
munitions to deter submarines off the coast of Florida. Not being a 
munitions expert, I would suggest that probably wouldn't be too 
effective because I think the submarines are in the water.
  Mr. Chairman, I am prepared to close. May I inquire as to how much 
time is remaining.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Florida has 45 seconds 
remaining.
  Mr. GAETZ. Mr. Chairman, I have great appreciation for the bipartisan 
consensus around this. I really miss when the Democratic Party was the 
anti-war party. Now, we are going to see probably on this vote a 
majority of Democrats vote for cluster munitions that are killing 
civilians, that will cost taxpayer money, and that are not even the 
best deterrent. There are just defense contractors that make them and a 
country that wants them, so we are willing to accommodate that death.
  I hope this debate illuminates the foolishness of the United States 
exporting cluster munitions and that we will have a more responsible 
consciousness moving forward.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of the amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. MOULTON. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to how much time is 
remaining.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Massachusetts has 2\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. MOULTON. Mr. Chairman, we support this bill. We are opposed to 
this amendment because we want this war to end. We want to bring this 
war to a conclusion. The Ukrainians need these munitions to fight for 
their freedom.
  No one wants to be in this position of having to argue in favor of 
cluster munitions, but this is the reality on the ground for Ukraine 
today. It is also the reality on the ground that the Russians are using 
far more cluster munitions with far higher dud rates.
  Don't think for a second that Ukraine doesn't understand they are 
going to have cluster munitions on the ground that need to be cleaned 
up. They are mostly going to be Russian munitions.
  The longer this war goes on, the longer it takes to push Russia back 
in this criminal war started by war criminal Vladimir Putin, the more 
unexploded cluster munitions from Russia are going to be on the ground.
  We have to stand by Ukraine so that Putin doesn't continue this war 
not only to take over Ukraine but to take over Europe. We have to stand 
by Ukraine to prevent American boys and girls from going to fight. That 
is why we are in the position we are in today.

[[Page H3993]]

  Let's defeat this amendment, and let's end this war.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the Gaetz-Jacobs 
amendment to prohibit the transfer of cluster munitions.
  Given their impact on civilians during and after a conflict and the 
dangers they pose to children and vulnerable populations, it is a 
matter of principle to limit or prohibit the transfer, export, sale, 
and production of these weapons.
  Since 2001, U.S. policy, law or both have prohibited the sales, 
exports and transfers of cluster munitions that have a failure rate 
exceeding 1 percent.
  Regrettably, the Pentagon insists that the U.S. should have the 
ability to use millions of stockpiled cluster munitions that have 
estimated failure rates of 5 to 20 percent. This was supposed to end in 
2018, but it didn't.
  I believe strongly that the United States should be an international 
leader in ending the terrible toll on civilians caused by the high 
failure rate of these weapons, including those we are currently 
providing to Ukraine for its defense against Russian aggression.
  There will always be those who will argue against such changes in 
military policy and practice, who will say this can't be done.
  If those voices had their way, we would still be using mustard gas 
and chemical weapons.
  Even during this time of great conflict, we can make sure that U.S. 
cluster munitions have less than a 1 percent failure rate. In fact, it 
would be better for Ukraine and its people if we did.
  Until the Pentagon assures us those are the only weapons being 
transferred, Congress must act and prohibit any further transfers of 
this devastating weapon.
  I urge my colleagues to support the Gaetz-Jacobs amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Gaetz).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. GAETZ. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Florida will 
be postponed.


                Amendment No. 41 Offered by Mr. Grothman

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 41 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Chair, I rise as the designee of the gentleman from 
Indiana (Mr. Banks), and I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Add at the end of title XI of division A the following:

     SEC. 11__. LIMITATION ON ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW DIVERSITY, 
                   EQUITY, AND INCLUSION POSITIONS; HIRING FREEZE.

       (a) In General.--Beginning on January 1, 2025, the 
     Secretary of Defense may not--
       (1) establish any new positions within the Department of 
     Defense with responsibility for matters relating to 
     diversity, equity, and inclusion; or
       (2) fill any vacancies in positions in the Department with 
     responsibility for such matters.
       (b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
     construed to prevent the Secretary from reducing the number 
     of positions relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion or 
     from eliminating specific positions relating to diversity, 
     equity, and inclusion.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman 
from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
  Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  This amendment would prevent the Secretary of Defense from creating 
any new DEI positions or filling any vacant DEI positions within the 
Department of Defense. Over the last few years, the DEI bureaucracy 
across the Department of Defense has infiltrated every unit, command, 
and school.
  Even as much of the country recognizes that the ideology of DEI is 
opposed to a society based on merit, the Department of Defense has dug 
in its heels. From transgender Pride patches on military uniforms to 
DEI steering committees at DODEA schools and a record $162 million 
dedicated to DEI activities in the President's FY25 budget, these 
activities continue to indoctrinate and divide.
  Elevating immutable characteristics like race and color over all 
other factors is blatantly discriminatory. It harms public confidence 
in our military and makes us a less lethal fighting force.
  For our national security, we must uphold the ideals of our country 
and put merit, hard work, dedication, and service above all. To do 
this, we must eliminate the DEI apparatus.
  Mr. Chair, I urge all Members to support this amendment, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Virginia is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chair, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion works to 
ensure the Department of Defense and our Armed Forces reflect the face 
of the Nation that they defend, which they have not always done.
  The office promotes a DOD culture of dignity and respect that values 
diversity and inclusion as a readiness imperative because the character 
of warfare is changing.
  With the rapidly evolving threat landscape and in unprecedented times 
of facing unique challenges from global pandemics to the escalating 
climate crisis, the DOD and our Armed Forces need diverse perspectives, 
experience, and skill sets to remain a global leader to deter war and 
keep our Nation safe.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Chair, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from Washington (Mr. Smith), the ranking member of the Armed Services 
Committee.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, this is an incredibly 
important issue in the bill this year. We have several amendments that 
go after diversity, equity, and inclusion in the military, and it could 
not be more misguided.
  We need a diverse military. We need to recruit from all across the 
country, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, and gender. We 
need to make sure that we are taking advantage of the talent of all in 
America. Sadly, we haven't really historically done that. We still have 
a major challenge.
  Just to give one example, when you look at the promotions within the 
military, the statistics have come out, and this is from 2023, not 20 
years ago: Every single ethnicity gender is promoted at a lower rate 
than White men.
  Now, is it the case that White men are just naturally better at this 
than anybody else? Absolutely not. Why do we have this disproportionate 
level of promotion? I don't know for sure, but I think it is worth it 
to have somebody at the Pentagon trying to answer that question. If you 
are a Black person, if you are a woman, if you are a Hispanic person, 
if you are a gay or trans person and you are looking at this and 
saying, should I sign up for the military, one central question you are 
going to have is: Am I going to get a fair shot?
  Historically, all of those groups that I just mentioned have not 
gotten a fair shot. I challenge anybody on the floor to dispute that 
fundamental fact. Let's have at least some people at the Pentagon who 
are trying to make sure that they do and that we are able to recruit a 
diverse population and bring them in.
  Two final points on this.
  One, there is such a thing as bad diversity, equity, and inclusion. I 
have seen it. I have witnessed it. I have seen efforts that throw out 
actual standards in favor of a rather narrow-minded racial agenda. That 
is wrong and shouldn't happen. That is not what is happening in the 
United States military. If the folks on the other side of the aisle 
wanted to go after that, I would be happy to work with them, but that 
is not what they are doing. They are eliminating all diversity, equity, 
and inclusion in the military, an enormous mistake that will cost us an 
enormous amount of talent.
  The second point is the only way this makes any sense is if you buy 
into this argument that we are past all of that, that racism doesn't 
happen anymore, that it is just not out there, and that it is not 
something we need to worry about.
  I may need an additional 30 seconds, but I want to read you something 
from

[[Page H3994]]

David French, who is a conservative columnist who adopted a 2-year-old 
Ethiopian.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the 
gentleman from Washington.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, he is a conservative, but he 
happened to adopt a 2-year-old Ethiopian. He is not a fan of Trump, so 
people started turning on him in his own church and his own community.
  He said: ``The racism was grotesque. One church member asked my wife 
why we couldn't adopt from Norway rather than Ethiopia.'' Shout-out to 
the former President for that one.

  ``A teacher at the school asked my son if we had purchased his sister 
for a `loaf of bread.' We later learned that there were coaches and 
teachers who used racial slurs to describe the few Black students at 
the school. There were terrible incidents of peer racism, including a 
student telling my daughter that slavery was good''----
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the 
gentleman from Washington.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington.--``slavery was good for Black people because 
it taught them how to live in America. Another told her that she 
couldn't come to our house to play because `my dad said Black people 
are dangerous.' ''
  Let's deal with this rationally and intelligently, not just throw 
everything out. Please preserve diversity and inclusion in our military 
and oppose this amendment.
  Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Chairman, first of all, I find it amazing that 
people feel your viewpoint in life is based on where your ancestors 
came from 100 years ago or 200 years ago.
  This amendment ensures the Department of Defense can uphold our 
Nation's values that no matter your race, color, sex, political 
beliefs, or ethnicity, you may excel.
  This amendment sends not just a message to the Department that this 
form of racism is intolerable, but it also stops the excessive growth 
of an industry within the DOD that has wasted resources and which has 
no benefits for our national security.
  Mr. Chair, I urge all Members to support, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, diversity recognizes that a wide variety of 
opinions and people that reflect the diversity of the country that our 
Armed Forces defend is important.
  Equity ensures that 400 years of the impact of slavery and Jim Crow, 
that didn't go away with a magic wand when laws changed, are addressed.
  Inclusion ensures that everyone in our Armed Forces is treated with 
the dignity and respect that they deserve, given the sacrifice they are 
making.
  These efforts to undermine DEI in our Armed Forces are 
counterproductive, dangerous, and will not help with readiness, 
preparedness, recruitment, or retention.
  That is why this amendment, as well as the next series of amendments 
that we will debate, should and must be defeated.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Wisconsin 
will be postponed.

                              {time}  1300


                 Amendment No. 42 Offered by Mr. Norman

  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Ferguson). It is now in order to consider 
amendment No. 42 printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of subtitle C of title V, add the following:

     SEC. 5__. ELIMINATION OF OFFICES OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND 
                   INCLUSION AND PERSONNEL OF SUCH OFFICES.

       Every office of the Armed Forces and of the Department of 
     Defense established to promote diversity, equity, and 
     inclusion is eliminated and the employment of all personnel 
     of each such office is terminated.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman 
from South Carolina (Mr. Norman) and a Member opposed each will control 
5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, the numbers of those willing to serve in the 
military are now down over 30 percent. The military's sole purpose is 
to provide for the defense of our great Nation. Our military's focus 
should be the protection of the American people and our freedoms, not 
liberals' feelings.
  Therefore, my amendment would eliminate any offices of DEI, 
diversity, equity, and inclusion, in the Armed Forces and in the DOD. 
We should focus on diversity of ideas and opinions, not races and 
genders.
  DEI programs tend to be ineffective and cost the taxpayers more 
money, and it has been a very real detriment to the recruitment of our 
military.
  In short order, a woke military is a weak military. Woke ideology 
undermines military readiness in various ways. It undermines the 
cohesiveness by emphasizing differences based on race, ethnicity, and 
sex. It undermines leadership authority by introducing questions about 
whether a promotion is based on merit or quota requirements. It leads 
to military personnel serving in specialties and areas for which they 
are not qualified nor are they ready. It takes time and resources away 
from training activities and weapons development that contribute to 
readiness.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Virginia is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Alabama (Ms. Sewell), a member of the Armed Services Committee.
  Ms. SEWELL. Mr. Chair, as a proud member of the House Armed Services 
Committee, I take seriously my responsibility to ensure that our 
servicemembers get the support they need to keep our Nation safe. Once 
again, Republicans are pushing poison pill amendments into our 
bipartisan Defense bill focusing more on culture wars and division than 
on our national security.
  This radical amendment would eliminate diversity, equity, and 
inclusion offices at the Department of Defense and all personnel in 
those offices.
  I shouldn't have to remind my Republican colleagues that diversity is 
our strength as a Nation. Inclusion is proven to be beneficial for 
military effectiveness, military readiness, and ultimately, our 
national security, yet my colleagues continue to fight our military 
leadership as they work to strengthen our Armed Forces.
  In the midst of our military recruitment shortfalls, Republicans are 
focused on the wrong thing. They are busy telling our servicemembers 
and potential recruits that Congress does not value their background or 
lived experiences than recruiting the best and brightest to defend our 
country. This is not only harmful, but it is also hurtful. It is 
hurtful that our military recruitment, preparedness, and cohesiveness 
is at jeopardy and at stake. Our national security and our national 
defense deserves better.
  Again this year, I am disappointed that we are considering amendments 
that poison legislation which would otherwise be bipartisan. I urge my 
colleagues to oppose this amendment, and let's get back to the business 
of being truly bipartisan when it comes to our National Defense 
Authorization Act.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I agree with my friend across the aisle. We 
shouldn't even be dealing with this, to be honest with you. The fact 
that money is going to fund this--you don't go to politicians to find 
out what is wrong with your car. You go to the mechanic. I am in the 
real estate business. We build houses. If I have trouble with a house, 
I go to my carpenters.
  I would remind my friends on the other side of the aisle that last 
year 160 retired flag officers wrote a letter to

[[Page H3995]]

the Armed Services Committee Chairman Rogers about the dangers of DEI 
and their opposition to it in the military. Mr. Chair, 160 retired flag 
officers--and I am sure it would be far more than this if you talked to 
the people that are serving--have pointed out why this is so 
detrimental.
  The officers wrote this:

       We respectfully request that Congress take legislative 
     action to remove all diversity, equity, and inclusion 
     programs from the DOD.
       Secondly, our military must be laser focused on one 
     mission: readiness, undiminished by culture wars engulfing 
     our country.
       Thirdly, the domestic cultural threat has an innocuous name 
     of diversity, equity, and inclusion, but in reality, DEI is 
     dividing, it is not uniting our military service, nor our 
     society.
       DEI principles are derived from critical race theory which 
     is rooted in cultural Marxism where people are grouped into 
     identity classes, typically by race, labeled as oppressed or 
     oppressors and victims and pitted against each other.
       Under the guise of DEI, some people are selected for 
     career-enhancing opportunities and advancement based on 
     preferences given to identity groups based on race, gender, 
     ethnic background, sexual orientation, et cetera.

  It is unbelievable we are even talking about this or funding it. Mr. 
Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Smith).
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I do talk to people in the 
military all the time, and our military is doing just fine.
  Now, there will always be people who are opposed to greater 
inclusion. We have seen this throughout the military in a wide variety 
of areas. Way back when, it was opposition to Black people serving in 
the military. Then there was a lot of opposition to gay people serving 
in the military. Every single time you had some people in the military 
saying this is going to destroy us, unit cohesion will fall apart, we 
can't possibly treat people fairly and function, they have all been 
proven wrong every single time.

  The people I talk to in the military say things are going just fine, 
that they are, in fact, being more inclusive, and the military is as 
strong as it has ever been.
  It is completely wrong for a rightwing political agenda to denigrate 
our military to try to make the point that there is some kind of 
excessive wokeism going on. That is not what the overwhelming majority 
of people in the military are telling me and others.
  What they are saying is that inclusion does matter. People need to be 
treated fairly. The idea that if the military goes like this and says 
that we don't see color, we don't see gender, we don't see any of this, 
that it will all just go away and everything will be fine is absurd. 
Reasonable diversity, equity, and inclusion works. That is what the 
military is doing. Please let them continue to do it.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I would just add that I think if you took a 
really diverse group and got opinions on the military, if it were doing 
so well, why are they 30 percent down in recruitment? Why are people 
not coming into it?
  Less than a month after the appointment by President Biden of 
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, he directed commanding officers and 
supervisors at all levels to schedule a day to discuss extremism.
  What do you think our foreign adversaries are doing upon hearing 
this? They are laughing their heads off.
  I would just say that we need to support this amendment. Get DEI out 
of the military. Let's focus on building ships, focus on building 
airplanes, focus on building missions, not DEI and extremism that my 
friends on the other side of the aisle want to try to continue to 
highlight.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Smith).
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, to respond to the issue of why 
recruitment is down, there are actually three reasons why recruitment 
is down.
  Number one is the pandemic, when they were restricted in their 
ability to recruit for a year and a half.
  Number two is because we have very low unemployment. Recruitment is 
always down when we have low unemployment.
  Number three is because the rightwing has decided to demonize the 
military as some sort of woke place that no one should serve in.
  Yes, some people do listen to that message. I have spoken to Members 
and others who are pushing that message who say, well, it is not really 
a problem. They say, well, it is out there. It is out there because you 
all are putting it out there and creating this level of division that 
doesn't need to be created.
  Recruitment can be just fine with diversity. In fact, it would be 
better.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, can I inquire as to how much time I have 
remaining.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from South Carolina has 45 seconds 
remaining.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I would just add, I don't know how long my 
friends on the other side of the aisle are going to keep mentioning the 
pandemic, COVID, but it is over with, and the shortage still exists.
  The fact that, again, we are funding this, devoting a day to discuss 
it, we ought to be having a day devoted to how to fight and arm our 
brave men and women who are serving in the military.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of this amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, the strength of our military is the people, 
and the people bring with them the sum of their life experiences and 
perspectives and what they know.
  In my family, I had several uncles born between 1918 and 1938 who 
served during World War II in the Navy in a segregated unit where they 
were not allowed to fight. They were only allowed to cook because of 
the color of their skin. The stories that they told their children 
about the indignity they suffered from their fellow servicemembers and 
superior officers, do you think any of their children wanted to serve 
in the military? There are countless stories like that.
  As we see people who lived under Jim Crow dying off and those stories 
are not being told, people don't understand that a legacy of 300 years 
of slavery and Jim Crow did not go away with the wave of a magic wand.
  When people show up and see people from different backgrounds, 
different colors, different religions for the first time in the 
military, which still does happen, they bring their life experiences 
and what they know and sometimes have trouble understanding and 
respecting the different life experiences of other people.
  DEI programs are designed to help bridge that gap to help increase 
recruitment by making the descendants of people who were discriminated 
against when they served in the military actually want to join. It 
makes sure that everyone who does join is treated with the dignity and 
respect they deserve as people who are putting their lives on the line 
for every American.
  This amendment should be defeated. Mr. Chair, I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Norman).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from South 
Carolina will be postponed.


          Amendment No. 43 Offered by Mr. Higgins of Louisiana

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 43 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       In subtitle A of title IX, add at the end the following:

     SEC. 9__. ELIMINATION OF THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER OF THE 
                   DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

       (a) Repeal of Position.--Section 147 of title 10, United 
     States Code, is repealed.

[[Page H3996]]

       (b) Conforming Repeal.--Section 913 of the William M. (Mac) 
     Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
     2021 (Public Law 116-283; 8 U.S.C. 147 note) is repealed.
       (c) Prohibition on Establishment of Similar Positions.--No 
     Federal funds may be obligated or expended to establish a 
     position within the Department of Defense that is the same as 
     or substantially similar to--
       (1) the position of Chief Diversity Officer, as described 
     in section 147 of title 10, United States Code, as such 
     section was in effect before the date of the enactment of 
     this Act; or
       (2) the position of Senior Advisor for Diversity and 
     Inclusion, as described in section 913(b) of the William M. 
     (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283; 10 U.S.C. 147 note), as 
     such section was in effect before the date of the enactment 
     of this Act.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman 
from Louisiana (Mr. Higgins) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana.

                              {time}  1315

  Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana. Mr. Chair, in a hearing earlier this year 
before the Oversight Committee, we had a young American, a squared-away 
young man, a former Army Ranger, who spoke on what it truly means to 
become a soldier. He told us: ``Training in the United States Army is 
meant to melt away the effects of civilian life and to forge Americans 
into soldiers.''
  I concur with that young man, Mr. Chair. Our military was never 
intended to be and should not be a platform to advance social agendas.
  Our Nation's military prowess not only keeps our homeland safe but a 
strong American military projects strength worldwide, deterring 
conflicts and pushing back against human suffering across the world.
  While we remain the strongest fighting force in the world--this is 
true--we are waning, and the distractions that we experience within our 
own ranks must be addressed.
  My amendment would eliminate the position of chief diversity officer 
of the Department of Defense or any substantially similar position. I 
appreciate that my colleagues, Jeff Duncan, Claudia Tenney, and  Jim 
Baird, are cosponsoring my amendment.
  The adoption of this provision will be a strong step in advancing a 
military that focuses on lethality and elevates excellence and 
performance, the values that made our Armed Forces great and 
indomitable worldwide.
  This strength in that position worldwide, Mr. Chair, is indeed 
threatened by this cultural agenda, perhaps driven by good intentions, 
let me say, reflective of our journey as a nation as we have learned 
and evolved and grown into a better, stronger nation with regards to 
diversity, equity, and inclusion. No doubt, my colleagues' intentions 
to force that agenda within the parameters of our Department of Defense 
were well-intentioned, but it is injuring our military.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.
  The Acting Chair. The gentlewoman from Virginia is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chair, once again, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives 
are not designed to force a social agenda down anybody's throat. What 
they are designed to do is to recognize that people aren't perfect, 
that the people who make up our military bring with them the sum total 
of their life experiences and what they know, and that from the 
beginning of our military, the right to serve was limited to a very few 
people.
  Our Army turns 249 years old this week. My ancestors weren't allowed 
to join. A year after, when the Declaration of Independence was written 
and said that all men were created equal, they didn't include the men 
in my family, and they certainly didn't include me.
  When the Constitution was written, creating a government by, of, and 
for we the people, it didn't include me. My ancestors were three-fifths 
of a person, yet many tried to fight anyway. Many who were allowed in 
foreign wars and wars on this soil, when they came home, faced violence 
and discrimination because of the color of their skin.
  Those stories were told in my family, but they weren't taught in 
history books. When I became a State legislator in Virginia, I 
recognized that there were a lot of people to whom those stories 
weren't told, and therefore, they may not understand why something they 
say or something they do or a policy they put in place perpetuates the 
impact of 400 years of slavery and Jim Crow.
  DEI is designed to recognize that now our military is open to more 
than just the limited few people who could join 249 years ago and that 
maybe we need to make sure that everybody who serves together respects 
one another and can be cohesive. That is what it is designed to do.
  Mr. Chair, this amendment should be defeated, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana. Mr. Chair, in 1988, I joined the Army. I 
went through boot camp and AIT in 1989 as Private Higgins, an enlisted 
man. Going through the military police academy in 1989 was quite 
grueling, and we lost a lot of people. We excluded many young soldiers, 
men and women. We excluded them because they couldn't perform.
  The United States military requires exclusion based on performance. 
That is all we ever cared about.
  We never had problems with recruiting in the United States Army. We 
missed by 40 percent last year. Do you know why, Mr. Chair? It is 
because families like mine that historically have served are not 
advising our young men and women to join the military now because of 
this insanity they have to go through and because it is weakness that 
has become embedded and woven within our DOD and forced upon our young 
soldiers.
  You are injuring and you are setting your sons and daughters up for 
slaughter because war is brutal, and nobody in uniform cares about the 
gender or the sexual orientation or the skin color of the soldier next 
to them. All we care about is that they can perform.
  This is the brotherhood that we forge. It requires discrimination. We 
discriminate against those young Americans who cannot make it. If they 
can't make the cut to earn a slot in our unit, then we exclude them 
from our unit. They go do something else in life. That is fine, but 
they can't be in the military.
  So, good Lord, please support my amendment.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chairman, it is actually not true that people were 
only excluded in the military because of performance. I have already 
recounted some of that history, and if the gentleman thinks it is just 
history, then I invite him to speak to some of the men and women of 
color and the women in general who are serving now and ask them about 
some of the discrimination they continue to face.
  Mr. Chair, you have already heard today some of the reasons why 
recruitment is down, and I do talk to some of the servicemembers whom I 
represent, including in my family. Part of it is pay, part of it is the 
inability to afford childcare and housing, and part of it is a question 
about whether they are respected as individuals.

  I am not going to focus just on our fighting men and women. The 
Department of Defense is one of the largest employers in the country, 
and having a diverse workforce that is not out in battle is also 
important so that they can work together to keep our Armed Forces 
ready.
  When our servicemembers go overseas, they are going to meet and see 
people from different backgrounds and work with people of different 
backgrounds, colors, races, and religions, and they probably need some 
help in bridging those divides. That is part of what DEI does.
  In an effort to say that we are just going to pretend racism doesn't 
exist, sexism doesn't exist, homophobia doesn't exist, Islamophobia 
doesn't exist, and that anti-Semitism doesn't exist, and that we are 
going to ignore it and maybe it will go away, it won't.
  We are going to ignore the fact that a disproportionate number of 
officers are one sex and one race. That is not based on merit. That is 
not based on performance. This amendment should be defeated.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Higgins).

[[Page H3997]]

  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Louisiana 
will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 44 Offered by Mr. Clyde

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 44 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:
       At the end of subtitle G of title X, insert the following:

     SEC. 10__. RELOCATION OF RECONCILIATION MEMORIAL TO ORIGINAL 
                   LOCATION IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY.

       The Secretary of the Army shall relocate the Reconciliation 
     Memorial, also known as the Reconciliation Monument, to its 
     original location in Arlington National Cemetery. The 
     Reconciliation Memorial shall not be given any designation or 
     name other than ``Reconciliation Memorial'' or 
     ``Reconciliation Monument'' upon its relocation to Arlington 
     National Cemetery.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman 
from Georgia (Mr. Clyde) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
  Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment 
which relocates the reconciliation monument, sometimes referred to as 
the Reconciliation Memorial, back to its original location in Arlington 
National Cemetery. I am very grateful for the support of Chairman 
Rogers on this amendment.
  Under the direction of President Biden, the Reconciliation Memorial 
was removed on December 18, 2023. This monument in Arlington was a 
powerful symbol of the healing and unification of our Nation after the 
deep divisions of the Civil War.
  American leaders like President Abraham Lincoln and Union General 
Ulysses Grant knew that a divided nation could not stand, and they 
tirelessly worked on promoting reconciliation.
  In 1898, following the end of the Mexican-American War, President 
McKinley undertook a process to create greater national unity. In 1906, 
President McKinley authorized the construction of the Reconciliation 
Memorial. Unveiled in 1914 by President Woodrow Wilson, this monument, 
designed by a Jewish-American sculptor, features a woman crowned with 
an olive wreath symbolizing peace.
  For over a century, Presidents of both parties have understood the 
purpose of this memorial of reconciliation and have honored it by 
sending wreaths to the monument. This tradition showing national unity 
and respect has been carried on regardless of the party or politics of 
the sitting President. Even President Obama understood the 
reconciliation monument in the context of what it stands for, unity not 
division, when he continued the Presidential tradition of sending a 
wreath to the monument. In doing so, Presidents have continued to 
emphasize the message of this monument, reconciliation and unity, not 
division.
  Former Democrat Senator Jim Webb, a highly decorated Marine Corps 
officer and former Secretary of the Navy, has strongly supported the 
preservation of the Reconciliation Memorial because the monument is one 
of the most potent symbols of healing in our Nation and across the 
globe.
  Democratic Senator Webb has said that the statue's removal would 
signify the desire of ``a deteriorating society willing to erase the 
generosity of its past, in favor of bitterness and misunderstanding 
conjured up by those who do not understand the history they seem bent 
on destroying.''
  Now, I would like to share a little of this monument's history.
  When this monument was originally dedicated back in 1914, Reverend 
Dr. McKim pronounced these words within his invocation:

       And as the blue and the gray mingle their dust on this 
     consecrated hill, may the men of the North and the men of the 
     South join hands and hearts in the labors and sacrifices 
     which must be undertaken in the years to come for the honor, 
     the happiness, and the glory of our country.
       Grant also, O Lord, that this monument may stand as a 
     perpetual memorial of the reconciliation between the people 
     of the States once arrayed against each other in deadly 
     conflict.
       Men who once met in wrath on the field of battle meet here 
     today as friends and brothers in the great enterprises of 
     peace.
       Henceforth, we pray and labor for the good and the glory of 
     our reunited country. We have beat our swords into 
     ploughshares, and our spears into pruning hooks. Ours it 
     shall be to strive in fraternal emulation with our northern 
     brothers, in all undertakings for the common weal.

                              {time}  1330

  Meaning the common prosperity.
  President Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat, had these words to say at the 
ceremony: ``I assure you that I am profoundly aware of the solemn 
significance of the thing that has now taken place.'' Meaning the 
dedication of the Reconciliation monument.

       It was suggested by a President of the United States, who 
     had himself been a distinguished officer of the Union Army. 
     It was authorized by an act of Congress of the United States.
       The corner-stone of the monument was laid by a President of 
     the United States elevated to his position by the votes of 
     the party which had chiefly prided itself upon sustaining the 
     war for the Union, and who, while Secretary of War, had 
     himself given authority to erect it. And, now, it has fallen 
     to my lot to accept in the name of the great government, 
     which I am privileged for the time to represent, this emblem 
     of a reunited people.

  Again, I say: `` . . . this emblem of a reunited people.''
  Last year, I led a similar amendment, which passed the House floor by 
voice with no opposition prior to the removal of the monument. I ask 
that all Members support the adoption of my amendment to return the 
Reconciliation Memorial to the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. 
In doing so, we can maintain a critical piece of our national unity and 
fill the empty spot that now exists in Arlington.
  Let us unite against the destruction of our history. Let us fight for 
the principles of healing and unity, which is exactly what this 
memorial was created to accomplish.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Virginia is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Beyer).
  Mr. BEYER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in firm opposition to this 
retrograde, revanchist amendment. Today is not the 1920s. It is not the 
1950s. It is so disheartening to see a lost-cause amendment come before 
the House in the year 2024.
  Mr. Clyde has proposed today that we return a monument to treason to 
our national cemetery without any accompanying context or education.
  The monument in question is a basic ode to the Confederacy, to 
romanticize the lost cause. More troubling than that is that it also 
glorifies slavery. It is not an emblem of a reconciled people.
  An enslaved woman is depicted as a mammy. She is holding the infant 
child of a White officer, and an enslaved man is following his owner to 
war. It is very difficult to see how the humiliating portrayal of a 
slave woman and a slave man represents reconciliation.
  The Arlington National Cemetery, on Congress' orders, not President 
Biden's orders, removed this monument on December 22, 2023. This 
amendment is four, if not four score, years too late. The NDAA for 2021 
required that Arlington National Cemetery remove the Confederate States 
of America monument.
  I think it is important to remember why we removed the memorial in 
the first place, because treason in defense of slavery is no virtue.
  This is a monument to a cause that killed hundreds of thousands of 
American servicemen in a doomed attempt to tear this country asunder to 
preserve the practice of keeping our fellow humans in bondage. The 
cause of the Confederacy is no more honorable today than when Lee 
surrendered at Appomattox. Let it lose today as it did then: With a 
whimper.
  The monument has been handled responsibly and respectfully according 
to

[[Page H3998]]

the National Historic Preservation Act. This would also be a horrible 
waste of taxpayer money, and in no way does it support our national 
defense. It would only make the families and visitors to the Arlington 
National Cemetery, including our current servicemembers, rightfully 
uncomfortable or hurt by the association of the monument.
  This NDAA should be focused on supporting the servicemembers 
currently dedicating their lives to this country, not those who came 
closest to destroying it. I urge Members to vote ``no'' if they believe 
they represent the United States of America, not the Confederate States 
of America, and if they oppose glorifying slavery and treason.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Madam Chair, in closing, I rise to oppose this 
amendment, as well. After the Civil War ended, Robert E. Lee himself 
argued against the erection of monuments to the Confederacy. I invite 
Members to read what he said about proposed monuments in Gettysburg, 
proposed monuments to Stonewall Jackson. He said they would more likely 
retard the reunion and bonding and reconciliation of the North and 
South than help it.

  Many of these monuments, including this one, weren't put up right 
after the Civil War. They were put up after Reconstruction ended. 
During Reconstruction, formerly enslaved people, for the first time, 
began to gain social, political, and economic power.
  When Reconstruction ended and the old Confederate power structure 
came back in the South, three things happened. Through the use of voter 
suppression, racial terror, and propaganda, efforts were made to say to 
Black Americans, who finally started to gain in the promise of our 
founding documents: Stay in your place.
  The lost-cause narrative was a part of that. Many of these monuments 
were a part of that. They were put up in response to Reconstruction, in 
response to the gains of the civil rights movement, and we are in that 
backlash, frankly, right now.
  When this monument was placed, the gentleman said it was for 
reconciliation, but for who? Not for the Black Americans who saw that 
monument then, and even today, and see the images of a mammy and a 
loyal slave following his master into battle. They know what that 
means. It conjures up the stereotypes that were used to help build the 
lie of White supremacy, and the stereotypes that were used to help 
convince Black people to stay in their place.
  That is part of why the commission said this monument should come 
down and why this amendment should be defeated.
  The Acting CHAIR (Ms. Hageman). The question is on the amendment 
offered by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Clyde).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Georgia will 
be postponed.


           Amendment No. 45 Offered by Mr. Williams of Texas

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 45 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of subtitle G of title VIII, insert the 
     following new section:

     SEC. 8__. PROHIBITION ON FUNDING FOR COVERED ENTITIES AND 
                   NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS OR OTHER ENTITIES THAT 
                   ENGAGE IN COVERED BEHAVIOR.

       (a) In General.--None of the funds authorized to be 
     appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for 
     fiscal year 2025 may be used to contract with or grant awards 
     to--
       (1) a covered entity; or
       (2) a nonprofit organization or other entity that engages 
     in covered behavior.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``covered entity'' means--
       (A) NewsGuard Technologies, Inc. (doing business as 
     ``NewsGuard''); or
       (B) Disinformation Index, Inc., Disinformation Index, Ltd., 
     or Global Disinformation Index gUG (collectively doing 
     business as ``Global Disinformation Index'').
       (2) The term ``covered behavior'' means operations, 
     activities, or products, the function of which is to 
     demonetize or rate the credibility of a domestic entity 
     (including news and information outlets) based on lawful 
     speech of such domestic entity under the stated function of 
     ``fact-checking'' misinformation, disinformation, or 
     malinformation.
       (3) The term ``nonprofit organization'' means an 
     organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and that is exempt from 
     taxation under section 501(a) of such Code.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman 
from Texas (Mr. Williams) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of 
amendment No. 45.
  Small businesses are the lifeblood of America. Their contribution to 
the success and security of the country cannot be overstated. Simply 
put, they are the driving force behind America's dominance in the 
world.
  The men and women who start small businesses take calculating risks 
to compete in the marketplace. It is one that is supposed to allow the 
best products and services to rise to the top, through spirited 
competition free from government influence.
  At least this is how it is supposed to be here in America. That is 
why it is appalling that an investigation led by the Committee on Small 
Business uncovered that the Federal Government is actively silencing 
entrepreneurs and driving them out of business simply because they 
exercise their right to free speech.
  Under the guise of misinformation and disinformation, the Biden 
administration is funding third-party entities, such as NewsGuard, to 
label entrepreneurs' free speech as dangerous and prevent them from 
doing business online.
  In a country that was founded on the free flow of ideas, it is 
unconscionable that the government would seek to interfere with an 
individual's ability to make a living over the internet because of 
their beliefs.
  NewsGuard and similar companies receive funds from the Department of 
Defense, the State Department's Global Engagement Center, and other 
Federal agencies to actively suppress and demonetize small businesses 
by labeling certain speech as untrustworthy, using partisan tactics and 
skewed determinations of fact.
  This has resulted in massive revenue losses and businesses having to 
completely change their operations, including downsizing. Worst of all, 
these efforts have been paid for by American taxpayer dollars. Make no 
mistake: This is a direct effort by the government to skirt the 
Constitution and force a single viewpoint on America.
  Some will have you believe that government-forced censorship and 
demonetization of small businesses who spread supposed misinformation 
is the only way to protect America. The reality is that those same 
people simply label speech they dislike as misinformation. That is why 
one of America's founding principles is that more information, not the 
suppression of it, brings out the truth.
  My amendment is just the first step in cutting off the head of the 
snake that threatens the God-given rights afforded all Americans. This 
amendment would prevent any Federal funds from going to any 
organization that looks to demonetize businesses based on lawful 
speech. Too often, we have seen the self-proclaimed fact checkers get 
it wrong, and these determinations should not be deciding which 
businesses survive online.
  That is why this amendment is so critical to an open marketplace 
where small businesses can compete. The government should never seek to 
demonetize or censor American businesses, whether directly or 
indirectly, as it has done through NewsGuard and similar entities.
  No small business owner should ever fear that their government will 
actively fund efforts to threaten their livelihoods and put them out of 
business. Unfortunately, if we continue exporting what is considered 
truth to outside organizations, this will not be the case.
  I urge all of my colleagues on both sides to support this amendment 
so

[[Page H3999]]

that we can preserve free speech, free enterprise, and put an end to 
this attack on small business.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. For what purpose does the gentleman from Washington 
seek recognition?
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to this 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Washington is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Deluzio).
  Mr. DELUZIO. Madam Chair, I thank the ranking member for yielding 
time.
  Madam Chair, I am opposed to this amendment. Put simply, I think it 
does some pretty bad things, among them making it impossible for the 
Department of Defense to contract with any organization that might try 
to identify propaganda from our adversaries.
  For instance, if a nonprofit wants to say and identify something as 
Communist Chinese propaganda, under this amendment, the Department of 
Defense cannot work with that organization in identifying something as 
propaganda from our adversary.
  I cannot imagine that is the purpose of this amendment, yet that is 
exactly what the legislative text does. It goes on to apply, beyond the 
organizations the gentleman from Texas recognized or acknowledged, to 
include any entity, any nonprofit that does any of these categories 
listed in the amendment.

  It includes fact-checking, rating the credibility of that entity. 
Again, not banning it, not silencing it, but identifying it. The mere 
fact of an adversary of ours having propaganda in this country and an 
organization identifying that propaganda, this amendment would bar the 
Pentagon from working with it.
  Now, if my colleagues on the other side want to offer a soft on 
Communist China amendment, have at it. We are not going to support it. 
I cannot imagine that is the purpose of this amendment, yet that is 
exactly what it does.
  Madam Chair, I urge a more narrow redrafting of this amendment. As it 
is drafted, it makes it very difficult even to do something as simple 
as identifying propaganda from our adversaries. This is foolish. It is 
not drafted appropriately, and my colleagues on the other side of the 
aisle ought to withdraw it.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Chair, may I inquire as to the time 
remaining.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas has 1\3/4\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Mrs. Luna).
  Mrs. LUNA. Madam Chair, I support this amendment. The Department of 
Defense should not be giving money to propaganda machines. In fact, the 
only money that should be going from the Department of Defense anywhere 
is to lethality, not organizations ticked off that a conservative from 
Ohio might be calling out different branches for their focus on DEI or 
CRT or a movement that is basically alienating conservatives and 
pushing conservatives outside of its ranks.
  I think there are a lot of Members who speak on these bills who are 
not servicemembers or have no experience with the Department of 
Defense. Honestly, we in this governing body are not going to allow a 
wokification of the Department of Defense.
  Frankly, with the near-peer threat that we have in the future, I 
think that it is increasingly important that we focus again on 
lethality and not woke nonsense. It has no business in the NDAA.

                              {time}  1345

  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Chair, I yield myself 2 minutes.
  Madam Chair, what is at dispute here is fact-checking. It is not true 
that businesses or anyone in America can say whatever they want. Facts 
do matter.
  I mean, if the U.S. Government is doing business with a company that 
says that their product will let you live to 200 years and cure cancer, 
they don't have the freedom to do that. I would hope that someone with 
the administration would check that and say that is not somebody we 
want to do business with.
  This amendment basically is saying facts do not matter and basically 
saying that they don't exist, that everyone says what they want to say, 
and we just go along with it. That is completely wrong. You should do 
fact-checking.
  Now, I completely agree with the gentleman that facts are not as 
black and white as a lot of times people say they are. We should have 
robust disputes about what actually happened, what the information is 
out there.
  This amendment does not allow for that. This amendment says anything 
goes. Any effort whatsoever to check the accuracy of what is being said 
and done by people we are doing business with is going to be strictly 
prohibited.
  I understand where this is coming from. A lot of this is coming from 
disputes conservatives have, but you can't just say whatever you want 
to say. The people who tried to overturn the 2020 election are learning 
that. We have heard about the attack on this Capitol on January 6. We 
have heard people say that it didn't happen or that it was antifa, an 
inside job, the government.
  All of these things are wrong. It is not: You say this; I say that. 
Wrong. Facts do exist, even if some of them turn out to be wrong. This 
amendment says: No, we are giving up. We are not even trying to figure 
out what is true. Anything goes. Have fun with it.
  I don't think that is a good idea in general, but it is a 
particularly bad idea in our national security environment that we are 
in right now because Russia and China love that approach. They 
regularly feed the disinformation battles in the U.S. on both the right 
and left.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Chair, I yield myself an additional 30 
seconds.
  They find stories that agitated people on the right or agitated 
people on the left, and they amplified them. We are seeing this all 
over the place with the Ukraine war as Russia has spread story after 
story that is picked up by people here.
  It is in our national security interests to check those facts and not 
spread propaganda damaging to this country. Dispute it. Sometimes they 
get it wrong. Let's have that debate, but please let's not pass this 
amendment that basically says there are no facts, that whatever you say 
is true just because you said it.
  That is not correct. Please defeat this amendment.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Madam Chair, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  Madam Chair, here is the bottom line: We can have all this dialogue, 
but it is not DOD's job to police speech.
  This amendment will prevent the government from funding organizations 
that tip the scales against certain businesses from succeeding online.
  Competition is what makes this country great. A business should try 
to gain market share by having the best product, lower prices, or 
better service than other businesses, and I personally deal with that 
every single day.
  When the government gives money to third parties to decide which 
entities are allowed to take part in this exercise, it is simply un-
American.
  Madam Chair, I urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Chair, I yield myself the balance of 
my time.
  Madam Chair, what this amendment says, as the gentleman just said, is 
that it is not the government's job to figure out what is true. That is 
a shocking statement.
  What would be accurate is the government needs to be careful when 
they are trying to figure out what is true. I don't disagree with that. 
If they mess that up or get something wrong, let's talk about it, but 
please, let's not have the United States Congress say that the 
government should have no interest whatsoever in what is true or what 
is not true. You all just go have fun, say whatever you want to say, 
and we

[[Page H4000]]

will keep giving you money for whatever.
  Let's try to get an accurate picture of what is going on. As 
difficult and challenging as that can be at times, the alternative of 
saying that facts don't exist and truth doesn't exist, so say whatever 
you want, is not an alternative we should embrace.
  Please defeat this amendment.
  Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas will 
be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 46 Offered by Mr. Steube

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 46 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mr. STEUBE. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of subtitle H of title V, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 5__. PROHIBITION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR CERTAIN 
                   MATERIALS IN SCHOOLS OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT 
                   OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY.

       (a) Prohibition on Pornography and Radical Gender 
     Ideology.--None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by 
     this Act or otherwise mad available for fiscal year 2025 or 
     any fiscal year thereafter for the Department of Defense 
     Education Activity may be obligated or expended to purchase, 
     maintain, or display in a school library or classroom--
       (1) any material that contains, depicts, or otherwise 
     includes pornographic content; or
       (2) any material that espouses, advocates, or promotes 
     radical gender ideology.
       (b) Deadline for Removal.--The Director of the Department 
     of Defense Education Activity shall ensure that any material 
     described in subsection (a) that this is in a library or 
     classroom of a school operated by the Activity is removed not 
     later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``pornographic content'' means any virtual-
     reality technology, video, image, drawing, sound, 
     instruction, reading material, writing material, presented 
     via any medium in a classroom, school library, on school 
     grounds, or as part of a school-sponsored or school-
     affiliated event that depicts, describes, or presents, in 
     whole or in part--
       (A) nudity, sex organs, or sexual acts;
       (B) obscenity;
       (C) indecent material (as defined by the Secretary of 
     Defense taking into consideration applicable Federal 
     regulations); or
       (D) lewd or sexual acts in a manner intended to cause 
     sexual arousal.
       (2) The term ``radical gender ideology'' means any concept, 
     teaching, instruction, or curriculum that--
       (A) states or suggests biological sex is a social 
     construct;
       (B) states or suggests biological sex is fluid, 
     interchangeable, or exists beyond the binary of male and 
     female;
       (C) states or suggests that an individual can be trapped in 
     the wrong body or have a different identity than that of 
     their biological sex;
       (D) encourages, promotes, or advocates the use of personal 
     pronouns unaligned with an individual's biological sex; or
       (E) encourages, promotes, or advocates hormone replacement, 
     puberty blockers, or gender reassignment surgery as a safe, 
     necessary, or optional treatment for an individual.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Steube) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. STEUBE. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment that would 
restrict radical gender ideology and pornographic content from entering 
the libraries and classrooms of schools operated by the Department of 
Defense.
  These morally corrupting materials have no place in an educational 
setting and could seriously harm the educational and psychological 
development of school children belonging to our servicemembers.
  Oftentimes, DOD schools are the only option that servicemembers have 
to educate their children, and we must ensure they have the resources 
to prepare them for success in their future careers and society.
  Yet, radical leftists desire to use schools as a tool to indoctrinate 
our children as soon as they enter kindergarten. I wish they were all 
just theoretical, but there exists a litany of examples of 
inappropriate and pornographic material that is available in DOD 
schools.
  Much of the material is far too graphic for me to read verbatim here 
on the House floor, but one example includes the book ``Gender Queer,'' 
which includes explicit imagery of explicit acts.
  In some DOD middle schools, young children are able to access a book 
called ``Middle School's a Drag,'' which is a story about a 12-year-old 
boy who starts a talent agency for child drag queen performers.
  In elementary school libraries, students can read many books about 
radical gender ideology, like ``When Aidan Became a Brother,'' which 
tells the story of a girl who believes she is a transgender boy.
  This material has no place in our schools, and Congress has the power 
to put a stop to it in DOD schools. The DOD school system serves over 
66,000 children across the world, and we owe it to our servicemembers 
to provide their children with a topnotch education. That education 
should include lessons about reading, writing, and arithmetic, not 
explicit pornography and radical transgender propaganda.
  Madam Chair, I encourage my colleagues to join me in protecting the 
children entrusted to DOD schools by our men and women in uniform.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. TOKUDA. Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Hawaii is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. TOKUDA. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Chair, as the mother of two teenage boys in public schools, I 
understand and can appreciate the need for age-appropriate content to 
ensure our schools remain nurturing environments for our kids, but the 
kinds of content that make it into these curricula and classrooms are 
decisions best left to professional educators working together with 
parents to determine what is best for our students.
  As a mom, it is important that our children see themselves and the 
situations they face in the books they read and the curriculum they are 
taught. This amendment is yet another attempt to broadly ban entire 
categories of books, forcing educators to second-guess and censor 
themselves.
  Engaging with novel and challenging topics is essential to how kids 
grow as students and individuals. They need to be able to confront 
ideas and topics that may not always be comfortable to them.
  This amendment is simply terrible policy in terms of providing our 
kids with the education they need to succeed in a complex and rapidly 
evolving world.
  Ultimately, at its core, this is a discriminatory and offensive 
amendment in its targeting of our LGBTQ+ people. It separates the 
military children attending DODEA schools, some of which identify as 
LGBTQ+ themselves, from their peers in other school systems in the 
United States, isolating them and depriving their education of 
perspectives critical to their own self-identification, growth, and 
development.
  This amendment makes it harder for DODEA teachers and counselors to 
support students with the materials they need if they question their 
gender identities or sexual orientation. This is an unwelcome intrusion 
on the trust between students and their teachers and counselors, who 
can play important roles for military children often moving from place 
to place at formative times in their lives, eliminating the ability for 
educators to provide resources and guides to help our military youth 
with complicated decisions and feelings that they have. This is 
absolutely unacceptable.
  I have had conversations with young people back home who shared 
serious concerns about the impact of censorship of LGBTQ+ content in 
their schools and the mental health of themselves and their peers. This 
amendment would further that sense of isolation and lead to increased 
rates of depression and, tragically, as we have seen, suicidal 
ideation.

[[Page H4001]]

  This amendment also sends a deeply hurtful and wrong message to 
LGBTQ+ servicemembers, some of whom may have children attending DODEA 
schools, about what this Congress and our government think about them 
and their loved ones. This amendment dishonors their service and 
commitment to our country.
  We know that the people most hurt by book bans are ultimately 
students and kids, and this amendment undermines the quality of 
education and experience that military children receive at our DODEA 
schools.
  It is reckless, discriminatory, and an attack on our LGBTQ+ students 
and servicemembers. As a mom, I think that all of our children deserve 
to feel supported, included, and seen in our educational system.
  Madam Chair, for these reasons, I strongly urge my colleagues to 
oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STEUBE. Madam Chair, these decisions are not best left to 
educators. In my opinion, it is best left to the parents to decide how 
they want to teach their kids.

  Our schools should be about teaching for the success of our children 
in mathematics and arithmetic and writing, not in gender ideology and 
pornography. What is unwelcome intrusion is teaching our kids 
pornography and transgender ideology.
  Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. TOKUDA. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Jacobs).
  Ms. JACOBS. Madam Chair, as Americans, we pride ourselves on freedom, 
freedom to receive information and ideas from anyone and anywhere, to 
think freely, to speak freely, but this amendment is nothing more than 
censorship and a violation of our First Amendment rights, all in an 
effort to erase the existence of transgender and intersex people.
  This amendment would reinforce the negativity, hostility, 
discrimination, and misunderstanding that many transgender and intersex 
youth already experience. In 2021, 68 percent of all LGBTQ+ students 
surveyed by GLSEN reported feeling unsafe in their school environment 
due to their perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or 
expression. More than three-quarters of LGBTQ+ students report 
experiencing in-person verbal harassment based on their sexual 
orientation, gender expression, or gender at some point in the past 
year.
  Here is the fact: Attempts to erase transgender and intersex people 
from schools will exacerbate these challenges and increase their 
isolation, but it won't erase the existence of transgender and intersex 
people, much to some of my colleagues' dismay.
  Parents across the country want their children to learn in safe and 
affirming environments, but this amendment is an answer to a problem we 
don't have. It would set a dangerous precedent that politicians can 
censor a range of school content based on a politician's political 
ideologies.
  It is so broad that it would ban schools from teaching about a range 
of animals, including, for instance, clownfish, which can change their 
sex. So, no more ``Finding Nemo'' in DODEA schools, I guess.
  Schools should be focused on creating environments that support all 
students, including transgender and intersex students, not censoring 
content.
  Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.
  Mr. STEUBE. Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. TOKUDA. Madam Chair, may I inquire how much time I have 
remaining.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Hawaii has 15 seconds 
remaining. The gentleman from Florida has 2\1/2\ minutes remaining.

                              {time}  1400

  Mr. STEUBE. I just think that the purpose, especially having been a 
military servicemember and been on bases that have schools for our 
children, one of which was actually in Hawaii when I served at 
Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, the purpose of our DOD institutions and 
the education that our kids are getting there should not involve gender 
ideology, transgender propaganda, and radical sexualized ideology that 
just, quite frankly, shouldn't be taught to elementary school kids or 
middle school kids.
  Middle school children have access to some of these things that are 
very explicit pornography in these types of books. My belief is that 
our education system should be focused on teaching our children the 
types of things to make them successful as students, not sexual 
content.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. 
Smith).
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, the problem with this is that 
many think that a radical gender ideology is that trans and gay people 
exist. We heard a Member on the floor earlier today on the Republican 
side of the aisle say trans people don't exist. So that is not a 
radical ideology. This would ban that. We have seen this happen. You 
are not allowed to acknowledge that gay or transgender people exist. 
That is deeply damaging. It is not a radical ideology and it shouldn't 
be banned.
  Mr. Chair, I urge defeat of this amendment.
  Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Ogles). The question is on the amendment 
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Steube).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Florida will 
be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 47 Offered by Mrs. Luna

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 47 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mrs. LUNA. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of subtitle E of title X, insert the following:

     SEC. 10__. PROHIBITION ON PROMOTION OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY 
                   AND ASSOCIATED RACE-BASED THEORIES.

       (a) Protection From Critical Race Theory Indoctrination.--
     No employee of the Department of Defense or member of the 
     Armed Forces acting in their official capacity may promote, 
     endorse, or advocate for critical race theory or associated 
     race-based theories described in subsection (b) or may compel 
     or train any member of the Armed Forces or employee of the 
     Department of Defense to believe or profess belief in such 
     theories.
       (b) Associated Race-based Theories Described.--In this 
     section, the term ``associated race-based theories'' includes 
     the following principles:
       (1) That any race, ethnicity, color, or national origin is 
     inherently superior or inferior to any other race, ethnicity, 
     color, or national origin.
       (2) That the United States is a fundamentally racist 
     country.
       (3) That the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution 
     of the United States, or the Federalist Papers are 
     fundamentally racist documents.
       (4) That an individual's moral character or worth is 
     determined by the individual's race, ethnicity, color, or 
     national origin.
       (5) That an individual, by virtue of the individual's race, 
     is inherently racist or oppressive, whether consciously or 
     unconsciously.
       (6) That an individual, by virtue of race, bears collective 
     guilt and is inherently responsible for actions committed in 
     the past by other members of the individual's race, 
     ethnicity, color, or national origin.
       (7) That an individual, by virtue of the individual's race, 
     should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment 
     to achieve diversity, equity, or inclusion.
       (8) That an individual should feel discomfort, guilt, or 
     any other form of psychological distress on account of the 
     individual's race, color, or national origin.
       (9) That virtues such as merit, excellence, hard work, 
     fairness, neutrality, objectivity, and racial colorblindness 
     are racist or in any way discriminatory, or were created by 
     members of a particular race, color, or national origin to 
     oppress members of another race, color, or national origin.
       (10) That to be ``antiracist'' requires explicitly or 
     implicitly promoting racial discrimination to advance 
     diversity, equity, and inclusion.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentlewoman 
from Florida (Mrs. Luna) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida.

[[Page H4002]]

  

  Mrs. LUNA. Mr. Chair, my amendment would prohibit CRT training for 
employees of the Department of Defense or members of the Air Force.
  The primary focus of our military should be mission readiness and 
lethality. Unfortunately, many of my colleagues on the other side of 
the aisle have continued to push for diversity, equity, and inclusion 
to the deficit of our servicemen and -women.
  Divisive ideologies like CRT have no place in our military. Our 
servicemembers should be learning the critical and often lifesaving 
skills that help them and their fellow servicemembers stay alive when 
they are deployed rather than having training hours diverted to forced 
CRT and race-based training.
  As a veteran, I know firsthand that our servicemembers are not 
concerned about CRT training or DEI in the military. In fact, our 
servicemembers care about the skills and qualifications that prepare 
them for war.
  When servicemembers are wounded, they do not care about how diverse 
their medics are; they care that the medics responding to them in their 
time of need are qualified and trained with the skills to keep them 
alive.
  It is beyond time we stop prioritizing CRT and other divisive 
ideologies that are weakening our military and putting our Nation's 
security at risk.
  We will gut CRT from our Nation's military with this NDAA. We are one 
Nation, one people, and this majority body believes in unity over 
division and merit over identity.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, there is actually quite a bit in 
this amendment that I do agree with. I think ideologies that are 
explicitly racist are problematic, and I certainly have seen that done. 
There are examples of the teaching of critical race theory and 
promotion of critical race theory that I personally disagree with, but 
there are two reasons to oppose this amendment.
  Number one, that is not happening in the United States military. We 
had a great debate earlier about why recruitment is down. Part of it is 
because of the fundamental dishonesty that the rightwing is saying 
about the military in terms of what is going on.
  They are not promoting critical race theory. It is a theory they do 
talk about, just like they talked about communism and fascism and a 
whole wide variety of other things that they don't agree with. To 
suggest, as this amendment does, that our military is promoting any of 
this ideology is completely wrong.
  The second problem I have with this amendment is thatt it does sort 
of push in the other direction, to want to sort of suggest, as we have 
seen in Florida and other States, that racism isn't really a thing.
  There was a famous example where it was said: What we ought to be 
teaching people is that, in fact, slavery had its upside. So there are 
problems with taking that approach.
  In particular, there is something in here about whether or not the 
Declaration of Independence is a racist document. That is a debate, I 
think, certainly we should have, but a document that basically 
enshrines--actually, it is the Declaration of Independence. I guess the 
Constitution is in there, too--enshrines the fact that if you are a 
Black person, you cannot vote and you count as three-fifths of a 
person. I think it would kind of be interesting to debate whether or 
not that was racist because I think it kind of was. To ignore the 
history of our country, both good or bad, is a mistake.
  This amendment pushes us toward ignoring any of the history that is 
racist, that has promoted white supremacy, which has promoted slavery 
and Jim Crow. To say that the people being educated in our military 
schools should ignore that history, I think, is a great weakness.
  The military does not promote CRT. They should have a robust 
discussion about various ideologies and also the history of racism in 
this country. Ignoring it will do a disservice to the men and women who 
serve in the military and to the country.
  Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. LUNA. Mr. Chair, to say that the military isn't actively doing 
this is misleading.
  In fact, I personally have seen training that our servicemembers, 
including my husband, have had to go through.
  To put it in perspective, my husband, before he got out of the 
military, was made to write down the top five people he associated 
with, writing down their race, sexual orientation, and gender. If those 
people were not diverse enough, he was then racist.
  Well, I have news for my colleagues across the aisle. When you have 
men and women deploying around the country, serving with Black and 
Brown people, because that is apparently what we are going to talk 
about in regards to color around the world, and you are telling them 
that they are racist, even though they have laid down their lives for 
these people, I think that just shows how out of touch this governing 
body is.
  To say that our military is not being forced to do that is 
misleading. They absolutely are. When I talk to men and women, both 
enlisted and at the officer level, I can tell you that they are more 
concerned about what is happening in the Pacific and what is happening 
in Russia than the infighting and the constant name-calling and also 
the wokification of our military.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Tokuda).
  Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, once again, it appears my colleagues fail to 
understand what critical race theory is.

  Critical race theory helps us understand the past, while DEI, as they 
have often been against, helps us chart the path forward to acknowledge 
and rectify the systemic racism that still shapes the present. Let's 
not conflate or confuse the two.
  Let me reiterate: Critical race theory is simply an academic and 
legal framework to recognize that systemic racism is part of our 
Nation's history. Yes, that is hard to hear, but sadly that is 
absolutely the fact and the case.
  Systemic racism continues, quite frankly, to affect our society and 
individuals in it to this very day. These are hard truths for my 
colleagues that cannot bear to hear it.
  However, there is no other way to explain the compromise enshrined 
for almost 80 years in our Constitution that count slaves as three-
fifths of a person to determine matters like the number of seats 
allotted to States for this very body, the House of Representatives.
  There is no other way to explain the Chinese Exclusion Act or the 
Asian Exclusion Act, which banned immigration of Asian people to this 
country for decades. Nor is there any other way to justify the grave 
historical injustices of Executive Order 9066 that interned over 
100,000 Japanese Americans during the Second World War, including my 
great-grandfather, who was locked up against his will in Santa Fe, New 
Mexico, while my grandfather, his son, served in the military 
intelligence service for a country who saw and treated him and his 
loved ones as the enemy.
  Systemic racism is a part of the history of our military, the 
Department of Defense, and this country. There is no other way to 
explain the fact that, even though they served bravely in the 
Revolutionary War, Black men were formally excluded from military 
service after the war until the Civil War.
  Meanwhile, Filipino veterans of World War II waited for over four 
decades for the citizenship and benefits promised to them for their 
service under our flag and are still waiting to this day.
  If my Republican colleagues believe we can compete with our 
adversaries across the globe by avoiding these truths, they are sadly 
mistaken.
  While our adversaries will seek to whitewash and erase histories like 
that of the Ukrainians, the Tibetans, and the Uyghurs, we must do 
better. We should be better because this speaks to who we are as a 
Nation.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Bentz). The time of the gentlewoman has 
expired.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 30 seconds 
to the gentlewoman from Hawaii.
  Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, having our servicemembers learn about systemic 
racism and think critically about the role it continues to play in our 
society may make some of them uncomfortable, but it is not going to 
make them

[[Page H4003]]

hate America. It will, however, help them understand why inequities 
persist in our country, including in the ranks of our military.
  I hope it will remind them how far we have come and how much further 
we must go toward a more equitable future, one in which they, 
regardless of their background, can achieve their fullest potential.
  We need to understand critical race theory for what it is, an 
opportunity for us to confront our past and work toward a better 
future.
  Mr. Chair, for that reason, I urge my colleagues to oppose this 
amendment.
  Mrs. LUNA. Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent to reclaim my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. LUNA. Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Mills).
  Mr. MILLS. Mr. Chair, I will start out by saying that I really admire 
and love my colleague from Hawaii. We have had many conversations 
together on the strengthening of our military, especially when it comes 
to Schofield Barracks and the rest, and the same is true with the 
ranking member, my colleague, Adam Smith.
  I will say, however, for the record, I served in the United States 
military. As an Army combat veteran, I proudly served with people from 
Hawaii, people from Puerto Rico, and people from the Virgin Islands. I 
have seen the diversity which exists, and I think that the utilization 
of DEI and CRT is what has led to the creation of the recruitment 
deficit of 41,000 that we see today.
  Our military is not supposed to be prioritizing the ideas of critical 
race theory or diversity, equity, inclusion. It should be about 
increased lethality, readiness, and being properly equipped. This is 
how we defeat our enemies. It is not through the ideas of trying to 
create division, and it is not through the ideas of pronoun training, 
where I can guarantee you that we cannot pronoun all of our enemies, 
but the he/him, they/them, and she/her is not going to make us a 
stronger military.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support Mrs. Anna Paulina Luna's 
amendment, and I ask that we understand that we are here to strengthen 
our military, not to divide it.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. LUNA. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I think we have concluded our 
remarks as well. For all the reasons stated, I urge opposition, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Luna).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Florida 
will be postponed.

                              {time}  1415


                Amendment No. 48 Offered by Ms. Boebert

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 48 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Ms. BOEBERT. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of subtitle C of title XVII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 17__. PROHIBITION ON FUNDING FOR THE COUNTERING 
                   EXTREMIST ACTIVITY WORKING GROUP.

       No Federal funds are authorized to be appropriated or 
     otherwise made available for the Countering Extremist 
     Activity Working Group or to implement any recommendations of 
     such group.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentlewoman 
from Colorado (Ms. Boebert) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Colorado.
  Ms. BOEBERT. Mr. Chair, I rise in favor of my amendment, which would 
prohibit Federal funding for the Countering Extremist Activity Working 
Group or implement any recommendations from the group.
  In 2021, Democrats and the Biden regime unjustly used January 6 to 
prop up this woke working group to provide cover for unjustly targeting 
members of our military. The so-called Countering Extremist Activity 
Working Group has been weaponized and implemented to almost exclusively 
target Republicans, Conservatives, and Libertarians serving in the 
military. Yet, by its own metrics, it has been a massive waste of money 
and time.
  The Defense Department continues to spend large amounts of time and 
money to combat extremism, yet its own analysis of the situation shows 
that it is entirely unnecessary. In fact, fewer than 100 servicemembers 
have been subject to discipline due to engagement in extremist 
activities. That is only 0.005 percent of the approximately 2.1 million 
Active and Reserve personnel. Clearly, extremism is not the problem 
that my colleagues on the left and media outlets made it out to be.
  The United States military is tasked with one mission: maintaining 
mission critical readiness to protect the American homeland. Sowing our 
Armed Forces with divisive rhetoric designed to pit races and genders 
against one another is not only morally wrong, it poses a very real 
threat to our national security.
  Under the Biden regime, DEI instruction and management has reached 
new heights that threaten to weaken the bond between America's Armed 
Forces and its civilian leadership and undermine our military 
effectiveness and readiness.
  All of our men and women in uniform deserve to have the best tools 
needed to carry out their mission to support and defend the 
Constitution of the United States. Unfortunately, liberal ideology 
undermines this mission. In order to stand up to China, Russia, and 
terrorists, our military needs to project strength, not cultural 
wokeness. My amendment does exactly that.
  I urge the adoption of this amendment, Mr. Chair, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to this 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Hawaii is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. To 
be clear, January 6 was an attack on America, our democracy, and this 
institution, which we have all taken an oath to serve. This shouldn't 
be controversial. Servicemembers who swear an oath to the Constitution 
should not try to overthrow the United States Government.
  Yet, the latest report from the Department of Defense inspector 
general found that 78 servicemembers were alleged to have advocated for 
the overthrow of the government in the past year alone. That is likely 
an undercount given reported challenges in gathering and compiling data 
across the military departments.
  Clearly, extremism in the military remains a persistent and serious 
issue, one that we should not take lightly, again, given the January 6 
insurrection in which we know some servicemembers and veterans 
participated. This fact alone should be deeply concerning to every 
single one of us in this Chamber.
  Instead of taking this problem seriously, this amendment prohibits 
the Department of Defense from implementing recommendations designed to 
counter extremist activity in our military. This undermines unit 
cohesion, the readiness of our forces, and ultimately public trust in 
our military.
  My colleagues allege that the Department's efforts to counter 
extremist activities unfairly targets conservatives. There is nothing 
in the Countering Extremist Activity Working Group's final report to 
substantiate that allegation because violent extremism, regardless of 
its political or partisan leaning, is a danger to all of us and to this 
democracy.
  There can be no denial that far-right extremism is surging across the 
country at a much higher level than that of leftwing extremism. A 
recent study showed that violent extremist acts in the United States 
were far more likely to be associated with far-right ideologies like 
white supremacy than with any far-left alternative. In fact, the level 
of violence perpetrated by

[[Page H4004]]

rightwing extremists in this country is on par with, if not higher 
than, that of Islamist extremists.
  In our country, where servicemembers have access to critical national 
security information and assets, individuals motivated by extremist 
ideologies can pose an outsize threat to our national security when 
they move beyond fair and legal expression of contentious issues and 
into subversive or even violent actions.
  Tackling extremism in our military is not about promoting wokeness, 
which my colleagues continue to be obsessed about. It is about 
protecting our people and our country. That, sadly, also means 
preventing domestic terrorism and addressing the serious and persistent 
threat to our homeland. It is also about restoring public confidence 
and trust in one of the most important institutions in our history and 
society.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this dangerous amendment, 
and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. BOEBERT. Mr. Chair, I just want to reiterate quickly that this is 
fewer than 100 servicemembers who have been targeted here, and that is 
only 0.005 percent of the approximately 2.1 million Active and Reserve 
personnel serving. Ultimately, wokeness weakens our military.
  Violent leftwing extremists stormed the field yesterday at the 
Congressional Baseball Game. In 2020 they burned down our cities. They 
say that we are obsessed with wokeness. They are obsessed with January 
6, which their Speaker admitted that she did not have our facility 
properly secured.
  Mr. Chair, I yield the remainder of my time to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Mills).

  Mr. MILLS. Mr. Chair, I just point out once again, as a United States 
Army combat veteran, I served with people from different races, creeds, 
and genders. None of that mattered; we all bled green. When we went to 
Iraq and Afghanistan, when we were sitting in Kosovo, not once did we 
talk about who did you vote for, what religion do you follow, what 
gender do you identify as. We were a cohesive unit that believed in 
service.
  I think that the DEI, which was actually passed in last year's NDAA 
in the House, should actually show that we are ready to close this 
because it has caused division, not inclusion. When you talk about the 
41,000 deficit that we are seeing today, I think that we were a much 
stronger military with greater recruitment efforts when we were 
prioritizing the ideas of coming together, fighting a common enemy, 
training as one.
  This is what matters to our United States military when we strengthen 
ourselves; not the idea of trying to identify ourselves as being 
something different, but as being one. That is the military that I 
served in. That is the military I believe in. We need to stop allowing 
our military to only think about serving political agendas and get back 
to what they are supposed to do, which is serving our country.
  I have seen nothing but division through DEI. One of those examples 
that we talk about is that we want to try to make sure everyone has a 
right to their own opinions. The reality is that Tyler Bowyer had a 
Turning Point event where military members were actually refused 
attendance because of being conservatives.
  We need to be a stronger military. I support this amendment. I ask my 
colleagues to do the same.
  Ms. BOEBERT. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time to 
close.
  First of all, let's be clear here. As we previously heard, we are not 
talking about DEI, which, once again, this is an obsession of the far 
right in this particular body. I will agree with you, though, in the 
same context of that conversation, I think we are in agreement. This is 
about how we should serve as one united Nation. How do we serve as a 
United States of America as a whole?
  The bottom line is, when we take a look at the kind of extremist 
activity that is happening within our military that was found by the 
Countering Extremist Activity Working Group, this is not bringing our 
country together. This is not allowing us to stand under one common 
flag.
  A 2020 Military Times poll found that more than half of minority 
servicemembers, servicemembers of color, say they have personally 
witnessed examples of white nationalism or ideologically driven racism 
within the ranks.
  As we can recall, in June 2020, a servicemember of the 173rd Airborne 
Brigade with white supremacist leanings led classified troop movements 
to facilitate an attack on his own unit while deployed to Turkiye.
  Let's be clear here. The recommendations of the Countering Extremist 
Activity Working Group are not controversial, and they include: 
Enhancing insider threat analysis and response, developing 
comprehensive training and education for departmental leadership, 
providing notice to personnel on prohibited activities, and improving 
internal information sharing and coordination.
  I think we can all agree in this body, no matter what side of the 
aisle you sit on, this is good for us if we are truly trying to stand 
up to China, to Russia, and to North Korea. How do we make ourselves 
truly a United States Department of Defense, not one that is currently 
divided by internal risks, internal extremism that, sadly, we are 
seeing too often in the field and in our ranks.
  Mr. Chair, I strongly encourage all of my colleagues to vote against 
this amendment and to make sure that we can, in fact, be a strong 
united presence standing against our adversaries across the globe. I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. Boebert).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Ms. TOKUDA. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Colorado 
will be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 49 Offered by Mr. Mills

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 49 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mr. MILLS. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of subtitle E of title X, insert the following:

     SEC. 10__. ELIMINATION OF DISCRETION OF MILITARY CHAIN OF 
                   COMMAND AND SENIOR CIVILIAN LEADERSHIP WITH 
                   RESPECT TO DISPLAY OF FLAGS.

       Section 1052(d)(1)(N) of the National Defense Authorization 
     Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31; 10 U.S.C. 2661 
     note) is amended by striking subparagraph (N).

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Mills) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. MILLS. Mr. Chair, tomorrow is Flag Day. The Second Continental 
Congress of June 14, 1777, adopted the flag of the United States some 
247 years ago. This was in the midst of our struggle to become a free 
and independent Nation and to become a constitutional Republic. Now, 
that flag changed over time as new States were added and the country 
expanded, but our dedication must be unyielding. They saw fit to honor 
the flag then, and we must honor the flag now and forever.
  We start each legislative day here with the Pledge of Allegiance. 
That flag that sits behind you right now is a symbol of this great 
country. We don't make that pledge to a party. We pledge allegiance to 
the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which 
it stands. It is a simple but solemn part of the day, and it is done to 
remind us that we are one Nation indivisible, with liberty and justice 
for all.
  Those stars and those stripes mean a lot to me, Mr. Speaker. It is a 
flag that I saluted as a soldier and a combat veteran, and a flag that 
I have seen many times draped over the coffins of those I had served 
with. I hope we never lose sight of the importance of it.
  What my amendment does is simple, Mr. Speaker. It honors our flag. We 
can do this again by asserting the legislative powers, as they did in 
1777. Currently, no flag other than the approved flag should be 
displayed in any workplace, common area place, or public

[[Page H4005]]

area at the Department of Defense, which we decided in fiscal year 2024 
in the NDAA. Approved flags include the American flag, the State flags, 
military service flags, and even our POW/MIA flag, as well as others, 
for 13 types in total.
  There is, however, a provision that concerns me that allows ``a flag 
approved at the discretion of a military chain of command or civilian 
leadership, as appropriate,'' and this is what my amendment would 
strike. It would strike the ability from it being a legislative 
priority that we are abdicating over and bring it back as it was 
supposed to under Article I. This is about Congress determining the 
flags that can be displayed at military installations, and we have 
already agreed to 13 of them. If a Member of Congress or the Department 
of Defense wants to add to that list, then come and make the argument 
and the debate here on the floor and have a vote.
  Don't just give our Article I powers away to the executive branch. It 
is our responsibility as a legislative body in this country to make 
these determinations in this Chamber. I also want to be clear that 
under current law, a building or an area that primarily serves as a 
place of residence is exempt, and servicemembers can do as they choose, 
not denying them their rights that they fight for. There are also 
exemptions for museum exhibits, license plates, gravesites, memorials, 
educational displays, and more that were decided here by Congress.
  I am here today, Mr. Chair, to say: Honor our flag and protect our 
legislative powers. I hope all my colleagues will join me in doing so.
  I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1430

  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise to claim the time in 
opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Fulcher). The gentleman is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield myself 2 minutes.
  Mr. Chair, the maker of this amendment is correct. This is an issue 
that we have litigated before the House already. I forget how many 
years ago it was now, but controversy arose over different flags being 
flown at different military institutions.
  We attempted to resolve that issue, and we did resolve that issue. We 
resolved the issue by saying there would be these approved flags.
  The other piece of it is that if the local leadership agrees, they 
may fly a flag as well because there are a whole lot of flags out there 
in the world, and we didn't want to contemplate absolutely all of them. 
If somebody is a Dallas Cowboys fan and wants to fly a Dallas Cowboys 
flag somewhere, the commander or civilian leadership can rightly decide 
whether or not it is appropriate within that unit.
  I am with him on the initial part about how much he loves the U.S. 
flag. I love the U.S. flag, as well. Let's be clear: This amendment has 
absolutely nothing to do with the U.S. flag. The U.S. flag can be 
flown, as it well should be, and we appreciate it. This is about 
commanders and civilian leadership at local military installations 
being able to decide whether or not they want to fly other flags. That 
was part of the compromise that we agreed to. There is no necessity for 
banning this.
  If you rise to be the person who is in charge of a military 
installation, I am going to trust you to be able to make this decision. 
It is not something that Congress needs to insert itself into. We don't 
need to decide on whether every single flag should go up or go down. We 
litigated this issue. We resolved it in the NDAA. We do not need to 
reopen it.
  Mr. Chair, I urge opposition to this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. MILLS. Mr. Chair, I have great respect for my colleague, Mr. 
Smith, and I have served proudly with him on the Armed Services 
Committee. I remind him that it is our responsibility. As our Founding 
Fathers established in 1777, it is Congress under Article I that has 
the rights and authorities to be able to designate which flags are 
flown over military installations.
  We are not talking about outside of their barracks. We are not 
talking about what they fly outside of their own rooms or even the 
buildings that they occupy. We are talking about the military 
installation as a whole.
  The one thing that Congress has gotten very good at is abdicating our 
responsibilities the same way that we abdicate Article I, Section 8, 
Clauses 11 through 13 of our war powers authority within the actual 
AUMF, Authorization for Use of Military Force. I ask my colleagues to 
explain why.
  In 1777, we deemed this as a congressional authority, but we now say 
that any command--and there are good commands; there are bad commands--
has the right to overrule what has actually been done here in the body.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues, once again, to explain why we 
continue to abdicate our roles and responsibilities within this Chamber 
only to complain about them further later.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I would say Congress has decided. 
We decided on 13 flags, and we decided to trust the military 
installation commanders to make other decisions. We did decide. We have 
done this two or three times. They want us to decide something 
different. That is not violating anything. That is just going at what 
they think Congress ought to decide to do.
  We have exercised the law and the right that was laid out. We 
exercised it in the way we did. We approved it in this body, the 
Senate, and the conference report. It does not need to be reopened.
  Mr. Chair, I urge us to defeat this amendment, and I yield 1 minute 
to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan).
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, I find it really interesting that in a 
Congress that took 15 votes and several days to elect a Speaker and 
then 3 weeks to elect another Speaker, and every must-pass bill has 
been bogged down with culture war amendments or partisan infighting 
that has taken us to the brink, that in a Congress that has passed very 
little legislation compared to other Congresses, we now want Congress 
to micromanage a local military base.
  For example, if Fort Gregg-Adams in Prince George, for example, has a 
festival and they want to fly a flag related to that festival, they 
have to come to Congress to ask for a bill to be passed and signed by 
the President of the United States. That is ridiculous. That is utterly 
ridiculous.
  That is why, in a wide variety of bills passed by Congress, we 
delegate some of that minutiae to the people on the ground who know, in 
that given situation, they can exercise their judgment.
  Mr. MILLS. Mr. Chair, I remind the gentlewoman that the purpose of 
Congress is not to try to pass as many bills as you can possibly pass. 
Actually, it was the opposite of that. It was actually trying to make 
it very difficult.
  The reason that we are so big on wanting to try to gauge the metrics 
by how many bills we pass is because we don't even enforce the existing 
laws that we have on the books, and we think that is somehow a metric 
of success.
  The reality is that we are not supposed to be involved in day-to-day 
lives, which is why, in 1777, they made it very clear: Here are the 
authorized flags we can fly.
  I can tell you that if there were a tremendous amount of MAGA flags 
flying over military installations, you would hear an absolute outcry 
by the left that would come in and tell you that these are not 
authorized and approved flags, so how dare they do this, it is 
a complete atrocity, and J6 is a result of this.

  The funny thing is that it is only a great argument when it is to 
their own benefit, but the reality is this: Why can't it be simple? The 
simplest thing is that our military installations and our military 
servicemembers, myself as an actual armed services member--not sure 
that my colleagues have actually served in the Army--we wore an 
American flag on our uniform. Why? Because that is what our American 
country represented, that flag.
  Mr. Chair, I ask that my colleagues support this and that we get back 
to supporting and honoring our flag.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my 
time. It is ironic, the gentleman arguing about how Congress doesn't 
need to pass a bunch of laws while he is urging us to pass another one. 
He is the one

[[Page H4006]]

who is actually proposing and having us pass something else that would 
place a restriction after we have already dealt with that.
  This is not an issue that needs to be revisited. We worked it out. We 
have a bunch of approved flags for everybody. We allow the local 
commanders to make local decisions.
  Congress certainly should exercise our authority of oversight over 
the Department of Defense, and there are a wide variety of different 
areas where we need to do this. Micromanaging what flag is flown at 
every single installation in the United States of America and beyond is 
not a place I think we need to insert ourselves.
  Mr. Chair, I oppose this amendment and urge the body to do so. I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mills).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Florida will 
be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 50 Offered by Mr. Waltz

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 50 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mr. WALTZ. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of subtitle J of title V, insert the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 5__. EXPANSIONS OF INCREASED FITNESS STANDARDS FOR ARMY 
                   CLOSE COMBAT FORCE MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL 
                   SPECIALTIES.

       Section 577 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31; 10 U.S.C. 7013 note) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) by striking ``Not later than 18 months after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall 
     implement increased minimum fitness standards as part of the 
     Army Combat Fitness Test'' and inserting ``Not later than 14 
     months after the date of the enactment of the National 
     Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, the Secretary 
     of the Army shall implement sex-neutral fitness standards 
     that are enhanced in each test category''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
       ``(21) 25C assigned to infantry, calvary, and engineer line 
     companies or troops in brigade combat teams and infantry 
     battalions.
       ``(22) 68W assigned to infantry, calvary, and engineer line 
     companies or troops in brigade combat teams and infantry 
     battalions.''; and
       (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``Not later than 365 
     days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary of the Army'' and inserting ``Not later than 13 
     months after the date of the enactment of the National 
     Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, the Secretary 
     of the Army shall''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman 
from Florida (Mr. Waltz) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. WALTZ. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment to 
require the United States Army to establish gender-neutral fitness 
standards for its combat fitness test.
  Last year's defense bill contained my provision that required the 
Army to create gender-neutral fitness standards for combat military 
occupational specialties. While I am pleased that the conference 
adopted increased fitness standards for combat arms in the FY24 NDAA, 
it removed the provisions requiring these standards to be gender-
neutral. This amendment would restore the House's previous language.
  To be clear, Mr. Chairman, I fully support all Americans, regardless 
of race, religion, or gender, to serve in any capacity in our uniformed 
services. We need them, and in the middle of this recruiting crisis, we 
need all of them. This amendment and conversation are about standards 
and establishing the standards we need to be successful in combat.
  I can tell you firsthand that our enemies' bullets do not 
discriminate between Black, White, or Brown. They don't discriminate 
between men and women. We are all in the foxhole together, so we need 
to establish what those standards are to be successful. If you hit them 
and achieve them, then you are in that combat unit. If you don't, there 
are other ways to serve.
  I like to talk about the first female to successfully graduate from 
the U.S. Army Ranger School. Her name is Kristen Geist. She had to 
achieve the standards that it takes to be a Ranger and went on to 
command her infantry platoon, but she now has a lower physical standard 
than the men she is charged to lead.
  I think that does her a disservice. I think that does the women who 
achieve these incredibly difficult elite units within our military a 
disservice. Frankly, it lowers the readiness of the units that they are 
joining.
  In her op-ed, she said: ``First, reverting to gender-based scoring 
could drastically reduce the performance and effectiveness of combat 
arms units,'' particularly as more women join these units, with the 
opening of combat arms.
  She also goes on to say: ``Reverting to gender-based scoring and 
reducing the minimum standard for combat arms will also hurt the women 
in those branches. Under a gender-based system, women in combat arms 
have to fight every day to dispel the notion that their presence 
inherently weakens these previously all-male units.'' These are her 
words.
  ``Lower female standards also reinforce the belief that women cannot 
perform the same job as men, therefore making it difficult for women to 
earn the trust and confidence of their teammates.''
  Mr. Chairman, you are going to hear that we don't have data, that we 
don't know. We have 20 years of combat in the Middle East. We know what 
it takes to move a 200-pound soldier to that helicopter, to move that 
medevac up to the top of the building, to move that artillery round. 
None of those things discriminate based on what gender you are--none of 
them. Certainly, our enemies don't.
  At the end of the day, the standard it takes to be successful in 
infantry should be different than to be a cyber warrior, a supply 
officer, or a pilot. Let's make the standards according to the job and 
not according to anything else, and that is what this amendment would 
do.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from New Jersey (Ms. Sherrill).
  Ms. SHERRILL. Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong opposition to this 
amendment. It is just the latest in a long series of attempts by my 
colleagues on the other side of the aisle to drum women out of combat 
roles in which they are currently serving.
  It is dressed up as protecting women, as a step aimed at preserving 
military readiness, but make no mistake, it is about a deeply held 
belief that women shouldn't fight.
  When I served in the Navy, I was part of the first class of women 
eligible for most combat roles, and I know firsthand what women bring 
to the table in combat roles.
  This fight is to ensure that women can serve in combat roles. It is 
one that I have already fought and has impacted my entire career in the 
Navy. It has also impacted the careers of our first female commanding 
officer of an aircraft carrier, our first woman Chief of Naval 
Operations, our first female superintendent of the Naval Academy.

  Make no mistake, I had to pass numerous physical tests during my time 
in the Navy. Some, such as the physical readiness test, were simply 
basic measures of fitness based on my age and gender. Some, such as the 
helicopter dunker, the platform dive, and SERE/POW training school, 
were gender- and age-neutral and based on the ability I needed to have 
to serve in a certain role--namely, a Navy helicopter pilot who flew 
over water, often at night.
  The military determined this, not Congress. Congress should not be 
telling the military what standards they should be implementing for 
physical fitness standards. The services have long had the ability to 
make these decisions based on their expert knowledge on what is 
actually needed for servicemembers.
  Congress should not intervene, especially when it could lead to the 
prevention of qualified women in combat

[[Page H4007]]

roles and especially not as a cheap political ploy to score points in a 
culture war.
  By all means, we don't need to take my word for it. Let's see what 
the Army has to say. It is redundant. Per Secretary Wormuth, the Army 
already has sex-neutral fitness standards that apply to every single 
combat arms military occupational specialty.
  It is duplicative. Per Secretary Warmoth, the Army is already 
pursuing increased standards to close combat force MOSes to comply with 
last year's bill.
  It is counterproductive. Under this amendment, the Army would lack 
empirically defensible data to set the standards. Instead, per 
Secretary Warmoth, the Army would be forced to rely on this amendment's 
conclusion that sex-neutral minimum standards are scientifically 
justifiable without the science.

                              {time}  1445

  Mr. Chair, once again, this body is considering amendments that serve 
one goal: cheap shots at women as part of a MAGA culture war.
  Our military readiness is an incredibly important thing that should 
be treated with careful deliberation. It should not be subject to the 
whims of a single Member of this House who has willfully disregarded 
the input of experts from the Army and of the House Armed Services 
Committee which rejected this very amendment.
  I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment.
  Mr. WALTZ. Mr. Chair, I found that, frankly, incredibly insulting and 
somewhat disappointing coming from a colleague and a fellow veteran.
  At the end of the day, those who are fighting for women to serve in 
all combat roles--which I will state again, despite the aspersions or 
projecting of motives here--cannot then say, well, they should have a 
lower standard in combat. Combat doesn't present a lower standard. It 
is one: life or death. When you are in a foxhole with fellow Americans, 
that is all that matters.
  Number two, I think to equate an experience as a helicopter pilot 
with what this amendment actually addresses--which are combat roles in 
the Army, not in the Navy, not in the Air Force, not with support 
roles, not with other specialties that, again, all Americans are 
welcome and should be welcome to serve in--either we haven't read the 
amendment or we have our own motives in place. It is hard to tell.
  At the end of the day, what we are seeing in Ukraine, what we are 
seeing in Gaza, and what we have seen in our experience in the Middle 
East is that combat on the ground in urban environments is brutally up 
close, dangerous, lethal, and at the end of the day regardless of race, 
religion, gender or anything else, you need to be able to hit the 
standards and training to be successful in a combat environment.
  Again, I would support my colleagues setting aside their political, I 
guess, biases and support this amendment.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I will point out, as I am sure 
the gentleman recognizes, there are helicopter pilots in the Army and 
there are helicopter pilots who are in combat, so it is perfectly 
appropriate to have a helicopter pilot talk about what it is like to 
serve in a combat role, and I think the gentleman would agree with me 
on that.
  There is one other aspect of this amendment that has always troubled 
me. We talk about combat MOSes, but the actual substance of the 
amendment would set a gender-neutral standard to be in the Army, 
period, and that is what is concerning because there are a lot of 
different jobs within the Army. There is combat, which you described, 
absolutely. We also need intel officers, we need linguistic experts, 
and we need a whole lot of people who will have a different set of 
qualifications.
  What the Army was concerned about with this last year, how we came to 
a compromise--which you have decided you didn't like, apparently, even 
though you guys are in the majority, and we passed this last year--was 
that they were concerned that if you required this you would be booting 
a ton of women out of the military now who aren't in combat roles. The 
breadth of this amendment is what concerns me.
  In addition, like I said, last year we did this, and the Army is 
tasked with coming back to us with new fitness standards for the broad 
Army and also for the very specific combat MOSes to make sure that they 
meet the standards, that the gentleman is quite correct must be there, 
for certain jobs, but it depends on the job.
  It also is something that is not said on this floor, and I love the 
fact that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would have you 
believe that the military has always been this completely unbiased, 
unbigoted place, and no one has anything to worry about. We are just 
going to treat everybody perfectly equally, and everything will be 
fine.
  I confess, I have not served in the military, and maybe someone who 
has served in the military will say, oh, no, we have never done that. I 
would think you were being dishonest if you said that because bias and 
bigotry have been a problem. It has been a particular problem for women 
serving in the military, as any woman, Republican or Democrat, who has 
served in the military in the last 40 years can tell you. Efforts to 
make sure that women know that they will be included and given a fair 
shot are important. This amendment undermines that.
  Mr. Chair, I urge opposition, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Waltz).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Florida will 
be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 51 Offered by Mr. Ogles

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 51 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:
       At the end of subtitle C of title V, add the following:

     SEC. 5__. PROHIBITION OF REQUIREMENT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF 
                   DEFENSE TO WEAR A MASK TO STOP THE SPREAD OF 
                   COVID-19.

       The Secretary of Defense may not require an individual to 
     wear a mask while on a military installation in the United 
     States to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman 
from Tennessee (Mr. Ogles) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.
  Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, my amendment prohibits the Secretary of Defense 
from requiring individuals to wear masks to prevent the spread of 
COVID-19 on any military installation in the United States. I was proud 
to introduce a similar amendment last year, and I am happy to do so 
again.
  Policies involving mandatory mask implementation are not about 
science or safety but control.
  Tom Jefferson, not to be confused with Thomas Jefferson, a leading 
epidemiologist who coauthored what The New York Times Opinion section 
called: ``The most rigorous and comprehensive analysis of scientific 
studies conducted on the efficacy of masks for reducing the spread of 
respiratory illness, including COVID-19'' found that there was no 
evidence that masks made a difference.
  It found that wearing a mask in public places probably makes little 
or no difference in the number of infections, and Dr. Fauci has 
recently admitted as much.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I will be brief. I don't 
fundamentally disagree with the idea that we learned a lot about the 
relative effectiveness of masks. I am not a huge fan of them myself. 
The main reason they tend not to be effective is people don't wear them 
or they don't wear them correctly.
  I think what we have learned is that there are some circumstances in 
which masks could conceivably be helpful.

[[Page H4008]]

  I don't like the way the scientists in this country presented the 
mask information to the American public. I think they undermined a lot 
of credibility in the way they did it by not explaining it in an honest 
way, and I think they were wrong in a number of different areas.
  This amendment says there is never any time ever when a mask mandate 
makes sense, and that is just further than even I am willing to go. I 
don't know when that time is going to be. I have not done an exhaustive 
study of the science. I have read a few New Yorker articles in other 
places that raised some of the concerns.
  To have an amendment that says under no circumstances can our medical 
professionals within the military conclude that this is a good idea 
goes too far.
  I oppose the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for his words.
  Again, to my colleague's point, this really is about following the 
science and the lessons we have learned that this information, the 
requirement, the mandatory implementation of mask wearing, which was 
not presented honestly to the American people, has created distrust 
within the very institutions that we should trust when such said things 
happen.
  That being said, I think this is important to lay the groundwork and 
the framework that you can't just mandate masks because you feel that 
you have to do something.
  Fauci has acknowledged that he was winging it, that the 6-foot margin 
was made up. We now know the efficacy of masks didn't work, and, yes, 
obviously not wearing a mask could or could not have an impact.
  The efficacy studies were on the masks themselves, on N95 masks. This 
isn't about not wearing a mask; this is about the fact that N95 masks 
did not work against COVID. We should not have a mandatory mask 
allowance for our military because of control.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I actually don't have any more 
arguments on this point other than what I have said.
  Mr. Chair, I urge opposition, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. OGLES. Mr. Chair, again, I will just emphasize this amendment is 
based off of what we now know about COVID. We know the masks didn't 
work. There is no need for the Secretary of Defense to urge or mandate 
our military to wear masks on military installations.
  This is about freedom.
  This is about liberty.
  This is about science.
  Mr. Chair, I urge adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ogles).
  The amendment was agreed to.


               Amendment No. 52 Offered by Mr. Rosendale

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 52 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:
       In subtitle A of title VII, add at the end the following:

     SEC. 714. PROHIBITION ON COVERAGE OF CERTAIN GENDER 
                   TRANSITION PROCEDURES AND RELATED SERVICES 
                   UNDER TRICARE PROGRAM.

       Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by 
     inserting after section 1076f the following new section (and 
     conforming the table of sections at the beginning of such 
     chapter accordingly):

     ``Sec. 1076g. TRICARE program: prohibition on coverage and 
       furnishment of certain gender transition surgeries and 
       related services

       ``(a) Prohibition.--The medical care to which individuals 
     are entitled to under this chapter does not include the 
     services described in subsection (b) and the Secretary of 
     Defense may not furnish any such service.
       ``(b) Services Described.--The services described in this 
     subsection are the following:
       ``(1) Gender transition surgeries furnished for the purpose 
     of the gender alteration of an individual who identifies as 
     transgender.
       ``(2) Hormone treatments furnished for the purpose of the 
     gender alteration of an individual who identifies as 
     transgender.''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman 
from Montana (Mr. Rosendale) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Montana.
  Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Chair, President Joe Biden has tried to turn our 
United States military into a dangerous leftwing social experiment.
  At the Malmstrom Air Force Base in my district there has been an 
inappropriate drag show and explicit library books on display for 
children.
  The Department of Defense is paying for travel expenses and is 
offering up to 21 days of leave for soldiers and their dependents to 
get abortions.
  This does nothing to help our troops continue to be the most 
effective fighting force on Earth and is nothing but a distraction and 
a waste of valuable taxpayer dollars.
  My amendment No. 52 would prohibit TRICARE from covering gender 
reassignment surgeries and hormone treatment for individuals who 
identify as transgender.
  The government has no business funding these procedures on the 
taxpayers' dime, and, quite frankly, if you don't know if you are a man 
or a woman, you shouldn't have your hand on the button that launches 
missiles.
  The Department of Defense still spent millions of dollars on these 
surgeries, and they do nothing to help our servicemembers. The follow-
up medications and counseling are even more costly.
  The question that must be asked is whether having people who identify 
as trans in the military makes our military a more effective, lethal 
fighting force. The answer is a clear and resounding no.
  A report commissioned by General Mattis found that servicemembers 
with claims of gender dysphoria are eight times more likely to attempt 
suicide than other servicemembers. It also found that these individuals 
are nine times more likely to have negative mental health episodes than 
other servicemembers.
  As former Lieutenant General Thomas Spoehr aptly put it: ``If those 
with gender dysphoria are at a much higher risk of suicide, crippling 
anxiety, or other mental breakdowns than their peers, those serving 
next to them will be reluctant to rely on them. Permitting them to 
serve also violates the principle of not placing individuals at greater 
risk of injury in harm's way.''
  Allowing this radical trans agenda to infiltrate our military will 
put our servicemembers in harm's way and will make our country more 
vulnerable than it has ever been in modern history.
  My commonsense amendment would save the taxpayers millions of dollars 
and help protect our servicemembers and our country.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield to the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Jacobs).
  Ms. JACOBS of California. Mr. Chair, gender-affirming care is safe, 
effective, and medically necessary. It is supported by every major 
medical association in the United States representing more than 1.3 
million U.S. doctors.
  That is why I find it incredibly concerning that many of my 
colleagues across the aisle choose to demonize the transgender 
community, but I don't think they have ever met someone who is trans. 
Many of them seek to restrict, deny, and disparage gender-affirming 
care but have never met anyone who has actually received it.
  Forgive me if I am not convinced by their naive talking points when 
this is something I know about personally.

                              {time}  1500

  Earlier this year, my trans brother, Dylan, received gender-affirming 
surgery after consultations with his doctor. He will tell you, Mr. 
Chair, that it was life-changing, and that is the case for so many in 
the trans community. He will tell you, Mr. Chair, contrary to my 
colleague's remarks, that he knows who he is. His body just doesn't 
match that.
  Prohibiting gender-affirming care for our servicemembers not only 
compromises our national security, but it also hinders our recruitment 
and retention efforts.

[[Page H4009]]

  Trans people are about twice as likely as all adults in the U.S. to 
serve in the Armed Forces. Why would we want to alienate this 
patriotic, selfless community from serving?
  When servicemembers get the medical care they need, then they can 
focus on their mission without distraction. However, by denying 
servicemembers this medically necessary care, this amendment will hurt 
our military readiness and likely lead to servicemembers leaving the 
military. Our efforts to recruit would be severely weakened.
  This amendment isn't only bigoted, it is shortsighted and would hurt 
our national security.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to listen to someone who actually 
knows something about the trans community and gender-affirming care and 
oppose this amendment.
  Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Chair, this is not rhetoric. These are simply the 
facts.
  Again, a report commissioned by General Mattis found that 
servicemembers with claims of gender dysphoria are eight times more 
likely to attempt suicide than other servicemembers.
  Mr. Chair, $8 million roughly was spent on transgender care, 
including about $5.8 million on psychotherapy, demonstrating that the 
vast majority of the investment associated with these gender surgeries 
is for psychotherapy thereafter.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan.)
  Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Chair, have you ever wondered why transgender 
individuals are more likely to have mental health issues or commit 
suicide or attempt to commit suicide?
  It is not just our servicemembers. It is also their dependents.
  Maybe the reason is the harassment and demonization that they have 
faced for generations from the far right.
  Maybe it is for the same reason a student whom I represented who 
identified as transgender wanted to commit suicide because on a daily 
basis in their school they received texts and threats from friends who 
said: ``You should kill yourself'' solely because they identified as 
transgender.
  Maybe it is because the vitriol that we have heard in committee and 
on this floor against the transgender community tells them: You are not 
valuable as a human being.
  That is why this amendment is so cruel.
  What this amendment does is to say that in the same body, from the 
same party who has made arguments about individual freedom and decried 
what they see as people trying to impose their views on other people, 
this is an amendment that says that they are going to impose their 
views on what transgender people should or should not do when making 
their own healthcare decisions.
  In doing so, it is so broadly written that it leaves it up to I don't 
know who to decide what the purpose of the hormone treatment that 
someone who identifies as transgender is because not every 
transgendered woman gets surgery. A woman who identifies as a man may 
not get surgery and continue to have ovaries, and when she reaches 
menopause, she may need hormonal therapy.
  Now some bureaucrat is going to have to sit and say: What is the 
purpose of this? Is this part of your effort now to be surgically or 
hormonally transitioned?
  This amendment is ridiculous and cruel, and it should be defeated.
  Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Chair, the pressures of war are extreme, and if 
you are so troubled during peacetime that you don't know if you are a 
man or a woman, then I can't imagine what the pressures of war would do 
to you.
  There were about 160 transgender surgeries that have taken place in 
the military, and they included 23,000 psychotherapy visits.
  Again, Mr. Chair, if you don't understand if you are a man or a 
woman, then you should not have your hand on the button that is 
launching missiles.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I am prepared to close, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Chairman, I am ready to close, as well.
  Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to how much time I have remaining.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Montana has 1\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Chair, again, it is very simple.
  First of all, the taxpayers should not be bound by paying the 
expenses that are associated with these transgender surgeries for the 
military.
  The next thing is, and this is the larger question: Should these 
people who are so confused they don't understand whether they are a man 
or a woman even be allowed into the military?
  This is putting lives at risk, this is putting their colleagues at 
risk, and this has been something that has been hurting the recruitment 
efforts for the military that we have seen be down since the Biden 
administration has taken over.
  Quite frankly, taxpayers should not be bound by these obligations, 
and the people who are serving in the military shouldn't be exposed to 
this additional risk.
  Mr. Chair, I request that my colleagues please support this 
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. Chair, two quick points: The United States Congress shouldn't be 
making medical decisions, and that is what this amendment is. It is 
telling the military what medical services they should provide. That, I 
think, is a huge mistake regardless of the context.
  Second, trans people have served in the military for a long time, 
even before it was officially allowed, and, certainly, now they are 
continuing to serve with the same honor and dignity as everybody else 
who has served. To imply otherwise is completely wrong.
  Various people throughout the military need healthcare. We spend 
money on a lot of different healthcare provisions. There is a favorite 
stat about how much money the United States spends on Viagra for people 
who serve in the military. There are different purposes.
  This amendment is wrong for two reasons: One, it is bigoted and 
discriminatory against trans people who serve and serve in the military 
very effectively.
  Number two, it has Congress making medical decisions that should be 
left up to medical professionals and their patients.
  Mr. Chair, I urge opposition to this amendment, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Montana (Mr. Rosendale).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Montana will 
be postponed.


                 Amendment No. 53 Offered by Mr. Norman

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 53 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

         At the end of subtitle H of title V, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 5__. PROHIBITIONS ON PROVISION OF GENDER TRANSITION 
                   SERVICES THROUGH AN EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY MEMBER 
                   PROGRAM OF THE ARMED FORCES.

         (a) In General.--No gender transition procedures, 
     including surgery or medication, may be provided to a minor 
     dependent child through an EFMP.
         (b) Referrals.--No referral for procedures described in 
     subsection (a) may be provided to a minor dependent child 
     through an EFMP.
         (c) Reassignment.--No change of duty station may be 
     approved through an EFMP for the purpose of providing a minor 
     dependent child with access to procedures described in 
     subsection (a).
         (d) EFMP Defined.--In this section, the term ``EFMP'' 
     means the program referred to as the Exceptional Family 
     Member Program under section 1781c(d)(4)(I) of title 10, 
     United States Code.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman

[[Page H4010]]

from South Carolina (Mr. Norman) and a Member opposed each will control 
5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chairman, my amendment prohibits the provision of 
gender transition procedures, including surgery or medication, through 
an Exceptional Family Member Program.
  I think I have heard it all, when my good friend on the other side 
mentioned that the medical profession was for the surgery. That is like 
saying the owners of a gas station or a petroleum company are for 
gasoline production. It is a given.
  Everything has got a price tag up here, and when I hear Viagra, I 
hope and pray that Viagra is not included in what the other side is 
wanting to do. That is not the place for that, particularly now.
  The Exceptional Family Member Program provides resources to military 
families with special needs. This program is designed for military 
spouses, children, or other dependent family members who require 
ongoing medical or educational services such as individuals with 
asthma, autism, chronic respiratory illness, intellectual disabilities, 
and much more.
  The military has tried to politicize this valuable program in order 
to get transgender procedures passed. For example, the Air Force 
suggested using the Exceptional Family Member Program for families who 
want to help their child transition.
  I would just say the other side is taking--and I will list some of 
the other things that are included in this that already exist that they 
are paying for--money away from the things I will mention, and I think 
that is unheard of.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume before I yield to Ms. Jacobs.
  I will say, just on the comment about doctors being like gas station 
owners, of course, a doctor is going to want to operate whenever you 
show up, that is not the way the medical profession works.
  I have been through a number of operations myself. I don't always 
agree with decisions the doctors make, but I will stand up for the 
medical profession and say they are not selling a product to the point 
where the more of it they sell the happier they are. They are not just 
going to operate on anyone who walks in.
  It is the purpose of a medical doctor to make a medical determination 
about what the proper treatment is, not to sell as much of it as is 
humanly possible.
  I stand by what I said earlier: Congress should not be telling 
doctors what medical decisions they should make.
  Mr. Chair, if you have got a doctor out there who is passing out 
treatment like he is at a gas station, then please report him, and 
let's make sure that that license is taken away.
  Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. 
Jacobs).
  Ms. JACOBS. Mr. Chair, I think we can all agree we want our military 
dependents to be safe and healthy. In fact, that is a crucial part of 
our national security. If our servicemembers are worried about their 
families, then they are not going to be focused on the mission that we 
need them to do.
  That is why military dependents should have access to gender-
affirming care, which is safe, essential, medically necessary care that 
promotes the health and well-being of transgender people.
  Now, I highly doubt my colleagues who support this amendment know 
someone who has personally received gender-affirming care, let alone 
talked to them about their experience and about what it was like with 
the doctor and about how hard or easy it was to receive that care. I 
have.
  Earlier this year, my transgender brother had gender-affirming care 
surgery. He will tell you it has been life-changing, and it has 
improved his relationship with his body, his life, and his society. He 
will also tell you, Mr. Chair, it wasn't easy to get.
  That confidence and happiness that my brother has is what I want for 
everyone, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community who are, too often, 
misunderstood, judged, discriminated against, and have to hear the 
hateful things coming from my colleagues on the other side of the 
aisle.
  However, by denying servicemembers the ability to provide medically 
necessary care for their children, this amendment will lead 
servicemembers to leave the military, and it will weaken efforts to 
recruit other people with trans family members to join the military.
  We have already seen this happen where servicemembers have had to 
dramatically alter their career or leave the service altogether in 
order to support their trans dependents.
  The bottom line is this: The Federal Government should not get in the 
middle of medical decisions, period.
  This amendment will be unconstitutional and will likely lead to 
costly litigation. We have already seen similar laws struck down in the 
courts for violating the equal protection clause, by denying 
transgender adolescents the same care that is provided to cisgender 
adolescents, and the bans would violate the fundamental due process 
rights of parents to provide best practice medical care for their 
children.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, I will just add to some comments made about 
medical doctors.
  The medical doctors are making money on this. Gas stations make 
money. The free enterprise system does that, and for them to be in 
favor of it, they are doing the surgery, and they are getting paid for 
it.
  The military is meant to defend this country, and it has gotten away 
from that. That is what the American people are so sick of.

  In another amendment, I brought up the fact that 168 generals and 
people active in the military are saying that that is why the 
recruitment is down 30 percent. It is for just what the other side is 
trying to oppose.
  On my particular amendment, you have to realize this program was 
meant to help families with special needs.
  Now, Mr. Chair, if you don't know whether you are a man or a woman, 
that is fine, go figure it out, and you pay for it, not the government 
from money we don't have.
  Mr. Chair, let me just name you some of the things that are included 
now but by providing transgender surgery that will take away from these 
programs.
  I guarantee you, Mr. Chair, you can ask and do a poll of everyone in 
the balcony: Do you want to do away with funds for life-threatening 
conditions or chronic conditions for transgender surgery?
  Do you want to take away asthma and respiratory-related diagnoses for 
transgender surgery?
  Do you want to delay intellectual development by taking the dollars 
away for that for transgender surgery?
  Attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity 
disorders, do you want to take that away?
  How about chronic conditions that require adaptive equipment and 
assistive technology or environmental or architectural considerations?
  That is everything that is included.
  What the other side wants to do is take money for somebody who 
doesn't know whether they are a man or a woman. It didn't make sense 
then, and it doesn't make sense now.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I want to follow that last 
train of logic.
  Basically, if a trans person receives medical care, it is, by 
definition, taking medical care away from somebody else. I guess, if a 
cancer patient is receiving medical care, that is taking it away from 
somebody else.
  That is simply not true. That is not the choice here. If you need 
healthcare, you should get healthcare. There will be a robust debate 
within the medical community about what is appropriate, certainly, but, 
in this case, we are talking about trans children of people who are 
serving in the military being denied healthcare that they need.
  I don't feel that we should be denying healthcare to children whose 
medical professionals say they need it, and it is

[[Page H4011]]

not a choice of taking it away from somebody else. It is not the way 
our healthcare system works.
  What this amendment would do is clearly take healthcare away from 
families and spouses of servicemembers that a medical doctor has 
determined that they need.
  I come back to this argument that somehow our military is being 
destroyed by wokeness. This is completely and totally untrue. Number 
one, as we stand here today on the floor, we have the best military in 
the world. They are serving ably all across the world. It is incredibly 
talented and incredibly effective. I am offended that the other side of 
the aisle seems to want to continue to denigrate our military because 
of a rightwing agenda to wage a culture war.
  That is not what is going on in the United States military. 
Recruitment is a problem primarily because of how good the economy is. 
Again, for a period of time, they weren't able to recruit because of 
COVID. Recruitment is also a problem, in small part due to the 
rightwing bashing on the military 24-7.
  Are there some people in the military who long for the days when gay 
people and trans people and women and even people of color weren't in a 
position to compete with them? I am quite certain that there are. I am 
also quite certain that it is a relatively small number.
  All we are trying to do is make sure that we have equal access in the 
military.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, may I inquire as to the time remaining.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from South Carolina has 1\1/4\ 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Chair, in closing, what my colleagues are trying to 
do goes against what the intent for this program was, and I am offended 
that the gentleman wants to take dollars away from that cancer patient. 
If my colleague is telling me the cancer patient goes behind somebody 
who doesn't know whether they are a man or a woman, the gentleman and I 
just have a basic world view difference.
  The price tag for individual gender-affirming surgical procedures and 
other medical treatments can range from $8,000 to $100,000. I am 
offended that the gentleman wants to take that from somebody who has a 
disability.
  Mr. Chairman, the fact that we are having to debate this is amazing, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Norman).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from South 
Carolina will be postponed.


                Amendment No. 54 Offered by Mr. Brecheen

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 54 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Mr. BRECHEEN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the end of subtitle C of title XVII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 17__ LIMITATION ON FUNDING ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY 
                   PERSONS IN DRAG.

       None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act 
     may be obligated or expended for a drag show, drag queen 
     story hour, or similar event.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman 
from Oklahoma (Mr. Brecheen) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.
  Mr. BRECHEEN. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would prohibit drag shows 
and drag queen story hours at U.S. military bases and installations. 
This measure is essential to ensure that our military remains focused 
on its core mission.
  President Biden and his Department of Defense have hosted multiple 
drag show events as the left continues to push a sexual agenda on 
servicemembers, showing total disregard for our troops who signed up to 
protect this country, not to be subjected to far-left policies.
  This agenda doesn't stop at our men and women in uniform. The Biden 
administration is also targeting young children in an effort to spread 
its views, its sexual agenda.
  In 2022, a military base in Virginia hosted a kid-friendly diversity, 
equity, and inclusion summer festival--and I use air quotes, kid-
friendly--featuring ``Harpy Daniels--the Navy Drag Queen,'' where 
children were encouraged to attend. That same summer, another base 
scheduled a drag queen story hour for children.
  Our country depends on a lethal military capable of rising to any 
occasion, just as the Allied forces did 80 years ago when they stormed 
the beaches of Normandy. They exemplified patriotism and courage.
  It seems the Biden administration and its DOD is more focused on 
promoting drag queens, waving the rainbow flag in a cultural war, 
preparing them for the cultural battle versus preparing a real fighting 
force advancing the red, white, and blue on a real battlefield.
  This is nothing short of an insult to our troops. It is a mockery to 
history and those who died fighting for this country. What would 
General Eisenhower and General MacArthur say? I believe they would 
encourage a return to thousands of years of history of societal norms, 
not the current sexual fad that is in tandem with our armed services 
not being able to meet their recruitment goals, being down 30 percent 
during the Biden administration.
  Young men who make up the bulk of our fighting forces are inspired by 
GI Joe. They are not inspired by: Be a Barbie girl in a Barbie world.
  Although the DOD indicated it would stop hosting drag queen events 
last year, this informal decision lacks the force of law and was only 
made after significant public backlash. We have every reason to believe 
the DOD would resume these events tomorrow if they felt they could get 
away with it. We should codify this and not give them that option.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROBERT GARCIA of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition 
to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ROBERT GARCIA of California. Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the LGBTQ 
families, gay people who serve in our country, and, frankly, anyone who 
just likes to have fun, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment.
  Now, we know there are a lot of threats to the health and well-being 
of our servicemembers: poisoned water on military bases, toxic mold in 
military housing, PTSD and suicide. I am stunned to see that a top 
Republican idea to protect our troops is actually to ban drag shows.
  Mr. Chairman, my Republican colleagues want us to believe that gays 
are trying to murder us. They want to believe that drag is harmful or 
immoral or wrong. This is completely ridiculous.
  I hate to break it to my Republican colleagues, but LGBTQ people have 
fought and died for this country since the American Revolution, even if 
they were forced to hide their true selves.
  We can document and celebrate drag shows on military bases, and they 
have been celebrated since the 1800s and through both world wars. The 
USO and Red Cross hosted drag shows during World War II. The army that 
defeated Hitler and saved the world included drag queens. Ronald Reagan 
starred in a movie called ``This is the Army,'' a movie about World War 
II that featured four drag performances. He is not the only Republican 
President who knew that drag can be fun and sometimes silly.
  Mr. Chairman, drag is art, drag is culture, and drag is a form of 
comedy. Drag is not a crime, and it is not pornography.
  Now, real obscenity is when one of our colleagues, the gentlewoman 
from Georgia (Ms. Greene), shows literal photos of revenge porn in our 
Oversight Committee. If we want to end porn in government facilities, 
let's ban that.
  We know that inclusion in our military is good for our country. We 
want to welcome anyone who wants to serve,

[[Page H4012]]

and I would invite my Republican colleagues to join me at a drag show 
in the future. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle will see 
that drag is not a threat to anyone, and I am convinced that some of 
the majority would really enjoy it.
  It is my deep concern that this amendment is legitimatizing an 
extremist narrative that drag performances are now harmful or 
threatening. Drag is art.
  Mr. Chairman, this amendment should sashay away. I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. BRECHEEN. Mr. Chairman, this amendment simply codifies what the 
DOD stated last year that, ``holding these type of events in federally 
funded facilities is not suitable use of DOD resources.''
  I remind my colleagues that the language in this amendment passed in 
last year's NDAA, which almost all Republicans and some Democrats voted 
for, Americans' tax dollars should not be paying for or be used to prop 
up paying for men to dress up as women in sexualized performances.
  I take exception to the comment that this is something that was 
occurring during the Greatest Generation. What may be referenced is 
something totally different than something now that is designed 
to sexualize this culture.

  Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROBERT GARCIA of California. Mr. Chairman, I remind my colleagues 
that art should be celebrated in this country. There are all forms of 
art. Whether it is going to a live theater performance, whether they 
are seeing something in a gallery, whether they are enjoying a 
sculpture, whether they are seeing a live music performance, or whether 
they are seeing a drag show, it is all a form of art. It is also an 
American art form that has been around our country for hundreds of 
years and has been on military bases since the USO was performing these 
similar types of shows.
  Mr. Chairman, this amendment is a culture-war stunt that does nothing 
to make our troops safer. It politicizes our military and silences 
servicemembers who just want to be themselves. It is Big Government 
telling our troops they aren't smart enough to decide if they want to 
attend a particular type of entertainment and that Congress knows best 
in what is funny or may not be funny.
  We should respect drag artists for the talent that they are and for 
the artists that they are. We should focus on real solutions to make 
life better for our troops and for our country.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this amendment, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Brecheen).
  The amendment was agreed to.


               Amendment No. 55 Offered by Ms. Van Duyne

  The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 55 
printed in part B of House Report 118-551.
  Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       At the appropriate place in subtitle A of title VII, insert 
     the following:

     SEC. 7__. PROHIBITION ON PAYMENT AND REIMBURSEMENT BY 
                   DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OF EXPENSES RELATING TO 
                   ABORTION SERVICES.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) consistent with section 1093 of title 10, United States 
     Code, the Department of Defense may not use any funds for 
     abortions except where the life of the mother would be 
     endangered if the fetus were carried to term or in a case in 
     which the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or 
     incest;
       (2) the Secretary of Defense has no legal authority to 
     implement any policies in which funds are to be used for such 
     purpose; and
       (3) the Department of Defense Memorandum titled ``Ensuring 
     Access to Reproductive Health Care'', dated October 20, 2022, 
     is therefore unlawful and must be rescinded.
       (b) Repeal of Memorandum.--
       (1) Repeal.--The Department of Defense memorandum titled 
     ``Ensuring Access to Reproductive Health Care'', dated 
     October 20, 2022, shall have no force or effect.
       (2) Prohibition on availability of funds to carry out 
     memorandum.--No funds may be obligated or expended to carry 
     out the memorandum specified in paragraph (1) or any 
     successor to such memorandum.
       (c) Prohibition.--Section 1093 of title 10, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(c) Prohibition on Payment or Reimbursement of Certain 
     Fees.--(1) The Secretary of Defense may not pay for or 
     reimburse any fees or expenses, including travel expenses, 
     relating to a health-care professional gaining a license in a 
     State if the purpose of gaining such license is to provide 
     abortion services.
       ``(2) In this subsection:
       ``(A) The term `health-care professional' means a member of 
     the armed forces, civilian employee of the Department of 
     Defense, personal services contractor under section 1091 of 
     this title, or other individual who provides health care at a 
     military medical treatment facility.
       ``(B) The term `license' has the meaning given that term in 
     section 1094 of this title.''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentlewoman 
from Texas (Ms. Van Duyne) and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
  Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Chairman, in 2022, President Biden issued new 
Department of Defense policy using taxpayer dollars to fund time off, 
lodging, and travel expenses for elective abortions. My amendment will 
stop this unlawful practice and return to the high protections codified 
in law.
  In recent years, President Biden and many of my Democratic colleagues 
have embraced a radical, pro-abortion stance, going so far as to push 
to federally legalize abortion for any reason up until the moment of 
birth.
  I am not sure why we have gone from wanting abortions to be safe, 
legal, and rare to encouraging taxpayer-funded abortion on demand, but 
here we are. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle can't define 
a single limitation that my colleagues would support on elective 
abortions.
  Republicans are offering solutions that support women throughout 
their pregnancy while my colleagues on the other side are taking the 
antiwoman stance of incentivizing abortions.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense 
amendment to not only follow the law and enforce the law, but to do so 
while protecting the most vulnerable, the unborn.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from 
Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan), my friend and partner in this fight and 
the ranking member of the House Armed Services Quality of Life Panel.
  Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding 
time.
  Mr. Chairman, it truly saddens me to be here yet again having the 
same conversation we had last year, yet again standing before this 
Chamber as a woman, yet again a woman who has actually served and 
actually worn a uniform and actually was a mother in uniform. Here I am 
yet again defending our servicewomen's and -men's rights to seek the 
medical care that they need when they are serving our country.

                              {time}  1530

  I am sick and tired of Members who have never served telling 
servicemembers, the same servicemembers that they are proud to publicly 
express their purported support for, that they don't deserve the 
financial or otherwise freedom to seek the medical care that they and 
their family members deserve and need when they need it.
  To those who have served in uniform, and most of them are men who are 
here on this floor, and still don't wish to afford servicemembers the 
ability to seek reproductive care, I am enormously disappointed with 
them, as well.
  We all know how difficult military life is. If a woman in uniform or 
member of a family who is in uniform says it is not the right time, 
perhaps, to start a family, or she has a medical reason or otherwise, 
it is her----
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 30 seconds to my 
colleague.
  Ms. HOULAHAN. Mr. Chair, it is her decision alone on what to do here. 
That is why I introduced the MARCH for Servicemembers Act, which would, 
in

[[Page H4013]]

fact, expand access to abortion services at military treatment 
facilities.
  We should be supporting our family servicemembers, not hindering 
them.
  Mr. Chair, I strongly urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment and the 
overall bill if it passes.
  Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Chair, the language in this bill is very 
straightforward. It would simply roll back Biden's illegal DOD abortion 
travel policy issued under the October 22 memorandum, returning DOD to 
the practice in place for decades, under which both Democratic and 
Republican administrations have agreed.
  This amendment has absolutely nothing to do with preventing people 
from getting medical care. Abortion is not medical care for the baby. 
It is a brutal procedure that ends the lives of unborn children through 
suction, dismemberment, or chemical poisoning.
  The Biden administration has made taxpayer funding available for 
abortion at any stage of pregnancy, even for late-term abortions that 
inflict excruciating pain and suffering on the child. This human rights 
abuse should not be paid for or encouraged by the U.S. Government.
  Abortion is also not medical care for the mother. Abortion can lead 
to significant physical complications for women and has serious mental 
health risks. A recent study found that over 60 percent of women who 
have had abortions report high levels of pressure.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chair, I am vehemently opposed to this amendment. I wish I could 
say that I am surprised by the situation in which we find ourselves 
where, once again, House Republicans are trying to take rights away 
from servicewomen and military families, but I am not.
  I am not surprised because it is their third attempt to get this 
policy repealed in the last year alone. They tried in last year's NDAA. 
They tried via Senator Tuberville as he waged his culture war with no 
concern for how he was impacting military readiness and setting back 
the careers of many talented officers.
  This year, instead of having an actual debate about the best policies 
regarding vital reproductive healthcare for servicewomen and military 
families, they are once again hiding behind the Rules Committee and 
only putting forward their standard regressive, backward policies that 
continue to fail.
  Preventing military women from traveling for care when they are 
stationed in States with draconian abortion laws isn't pro-life. It is 
not pro-life to force women to risk their lives and their careers with 
nonviable pregnancies. It is not pro-life to make it harder for women 
to access basic healthcare. It is not pro-life to do it at the expense 
of women who already risk their lives in service of their country.
  I wish we could treat this issue with the seriousness it deserves. I 
wish we could have a real debate about reproductive healthcare for 
servicemembers, but we can't. Why? Because this majority would rather 
score cheap points in their MAGA culture wars than have a serious 
discussion about their antiwomen policies.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Chair, when we talk about wanting to be concerned 
about the safety of women, I would say that when we are looking at 
statistics, if you look at actually far more accurate studies and 
complete data on pregnancy outcomes, including abortion and childcare, 
study after study show that a woman is almost four times more likely to 
die from abortion than from childbirth.
  What we are trying to do is actually support women who are pregnant 
and found themselves in a difficult situation. All we are simply doing 
in this is going back to the law. We are enforcing the law of not 
having taxpayer-funded abortions. This has nothing to do with limiting 
healthcare. This has everything to do with following the law.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Mr. Chair, may I inquire as to how much time I have 
remaining.
  The CHAIR (Mr. McClintock). The gentlewoman from New Jersey has 2 
minutes remaining. The gentlewoman from Texas has 2\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Mr. Chair, amendments like this cheapen the National 
Defense Authorization Act. They make America look weak. They demean 
this body. This isn't the only one.
  Once again, this majority has chosen not to treat matters of national 
security with the seriousness they deserve to be treated, and they are 
choosing to use the National Defense Authorization Act to shove their 
extremist culture war agenda down the throats of the American people.
  Homophobia? Check. Racism? Check. Misogyny? Check. Serious policy 
amendments that will strengthen our national security? Far less 
important to this majority.

  These ludicrous amendments are why, later today, I will be offering a 
motion to recommit, not to start the process all over but to give our 
servicemembers and our Nation the serious, policy-focused National 
Defense Authorization Act that we passed out of the Armed Services 
Committee.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment and support 
a clean, policy-centered National Defense Authorization Act.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Chair, this is about taxpayer-funded abortions, 
something that has been prevented for five decades. In fact, the Hyde 
amendment was upheld by the Supreme Court even under Roe v. Wade.
  This is not a change in policy. This is continuing policies that have 
been supported by both Democrats and Republicans.
  I ask my kind colleagues to tell me, please, how supporting and 
paying out of DOD funds for a woman to travel across the country to get 
an abortion has anything to do with protecting our national security.
  With already stretched DOD resources, to underwrite abortions through 
funding for flights and hotels, it is simply pandering to the abortion 
lobby and does nothing to increase our national security.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Mr. Chair, I have the right to close, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Chair, I would argue that this was an amendment that last year 
passed. It was taken out by the Senate.
  It is necessary. All we are asking the Department to do is actually 
follow the law, which, under executive order currently, Biden is trying 
to have them surpass.
  For years, this has been an adoptive practice by both Democrats and 
Republicans. What we are seeing is extreme measures taken by Democrats 
to show us exactly where their abortion stance is.
  I was on the floor of this House last session when we voted for a 
bill that would allow taxpayer-funded dollars to be used for abortions 
up until the moment of birth. If that is not extreme, I don't know what 
is.
  Republicans are supporting women who find themselves in these 
positions. This is a defense bill. It should not be used to kill 
innocent lives and put women's lives at unnecessary risk, especially 
those who are supporting and fighting for this country and our values.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. SHERRILL. Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Chair, in the advent of the overturning of Roe, we have seen a 
race to the bottom in reproductive healthcare in too many States in the 
Nation and attempts again and again to implement a nationwide abortion 
ban by Republicans.
  This is really dangerous to our servicewomen, who are given orders to 
go to certain places. They can't say that they prefer not to serve in 
Texas, for example, which is now the 49th worst State in the Nation 
when it comes to women's reproductive healthcare, a very fast drop 
because of the horrible, draconian anti-choice laws that have been 
implemented.
  Our servicewomen are ordered to States like this and don't have 
access to basic reproductive healthcare. We see again and again how 
this culture war agenda has threatened women across the country and 
certainly servicewomen.
  We have over 140,000 servicemembers in Texas right now, and that 
doesn't

[[Page H4014]]

even include their families. That is why these are dangerous pieces of 
legislation. That is why we have worked so incredibly hard to find 
fixes to make sure our servicewomen are protected.
  Mr. Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the 
gentlewoman's amendment, which would overturn the illegal DOD abortion 
travel policy.
  Current federal law prevents DOD from paying for elective abortion 
while permitting it in the case of rape, incest and to save the life of 
the mother.
  But the Biden DOD abortion travel policy forces taxpayers to pay the 
transportation costs for military members and dependents to travel to 
procure an abortion, for any reason, right up until the moment of 
birth.
  There is nothing humane or benign about abortion. Abortion is not 
healthcare, unless one construes the precious life of an unborn child 
analogous to a tumor to be excised or a disease to be vanquished.
  Regrettably, the pro-abortion culture of denial--a modern-day flat 
earth socity--continues to deny, devalue, and disrespect unborn baby 
girls and boys and trivialize the harm suffered by women.
  We must recognize the breathtaking miracle of the newly created life 
of an unborn child and that women deserve better than abortion.
  We need to care for and love them both.
  Future generations will someday look back on us and wonder how and 
why a society that bragged about its commitment to human rights could 
have legally sanctioned and aggressively promoted child beheadings, 
dismemberment, and abortion pills that literally starve the child to 
death.
  Don't force taxpayers to facilitate abortion on demand.
  The CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Van Duyne).
  The question was taken; and the Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on 
the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas will be postponed.


       Amendments En Bloc No. 2 Offered by Mr. Rogers of Alabama

  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 1287, 
I offer amendments en bloc.
  The CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendments en bloc.
  Amendments en bloc No. 2 consisting of amendment Nos. 4, 9, 10, 18, 
38, 39, 57, 58, 61, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 
128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 
143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 
157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 
171, 172, 173, 174, 175, and 176 printed in part B of House Report 118-
551, offered by Mr. Rogers of Alabama:

           Amendment No. 4 Offered by Ms. Boebert of Colorado

       At the end of subtitle G of title VIII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 8__. PROHIBITION ON ENTERING INTO CONTRACTS WITH A 
                   PERSON ENGAGED IN A BOYCOTT OF THE STATE OF 
                   ISRAEL.

       The Secretary of Defense may not enter into a contract with 
     a person if such person is engaged in an activity that is 
     politically motivated and is intended to penalize or 
     otherwise limit significant commercial relations specifically 
     with Israel or persons doing business in Israel or in 
     Israeli-controlled territories.


             Amendment No. 9 Offered by Mr. Curtis of Utah

       At the end of subtitle E of title VI, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 6__. PROHIBITION ON SALE OF GOODS FROM COMPANIES ENGAGED 
                   IN AN ANTI-ISRAEL BOYCOTT.

       Subchapter III of chapter 147 of title 10, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     section:

     ``Sec. 2497. Prohibition on sale of goods from companies 
       engaged in an anti-Israel boycott

       ``(a) Prohibition.--The Secretary of Defense may not 
     knowingly permit the sale, at a commissary store or military 
     exchange, of any good, ware, article, or merchandise from any 
     entity that has engaged in or engages in a boycott of the 
     State of Israel.
       ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) The term `boycott action' means, with respect to a 
     target entity, the refusal to deal with such entity, the 
     termination of business activities with such entity, or the 
     limitation of commercial relations with such entity.
       ``(2) The term `boycott of the State of Israel' means a 
     boycott action the target of which is--
       ``(A) the State of Israel; and
       ``(B)(i) any company or individual doing business in or 
     with the State of Israel; or
       ``(ii) any company authorized by, licensed by, or organized 
     under the laws of the State of Israel to do business.
       ``(3) The term `company'--
       ``(A) means a corporation, partnership, limited liability 
     company, or similar entity; and
       ``(B) includes any wholly-owned subsidiary, majority-owned 
     subsidiary, parent company, or affiliate of an entity 
     described in subparagraph (A).''.


            Amendment No. 10 Offered by Mr. Biggs of Arizona

       Add at the end of subtitle B of title XII the following:

     SEC. 1214. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ISRAEL.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) since 1948, Israel has been one of the strongest 
     friends and allies of the United States;
       (2) Israel is a stable, democratic country in a region 
     often marred by turmoil;
       (3) it is essential to the strategic interest of the United 
     States to continue to offer security assistance and related 
     support to Israel; and
       (4) such assistance and support is especially vital as 
     Israel confronts a number of potential challenges at the 
     present time, including continuing threats from Iran.


           Amendment No. 18 Offered by Mr. Ogles of Tennessee

       At the end of subtitle C of title XVII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 17__. PROHIBITION ON DIVERTING FUNDING FROM THE INDO-
                   PACIFIC REGION.

       None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or 
     otherwise made available by this Act may be made available to 
     carry out any provision of law in a manner that would divert 
     away funds previously appropriated as of the date of the 
     enactment of this Act for assistance for the Indo-Pacific 
     region through September 30, 2025.


            Amendment No. 38 Offered by Mr. Davidson of Ohio

       At the end of subtitle D of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 12_. REPORT AND STRATEGY FOR UNITED STATES INVOLVEMENT 
                   IN UKRAINE.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the President, in coordination 
     with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State, 
     shall develop and submit to the appropriate congressional 
     committees a report that contains a strategy for United 
     States involvement in Ukraine.
       (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) 
     shall--
       (1) define the United States national interests at stake 
     with respect to the conflict between the Russian Federation 
     and Ukraine;
       (2) identify specific objectives the President believes 
     must be achieved in Ukraine in order to protect the United 
     States national interests defined in paragraph (1), and for 
     each objective--
       (A) an estimate of the amount of time required to achieve 
     the objective, with an explanation;
       (B) benchmarks to be used by the President to determine 
     whether an objective has been met, is in the progress of 
     being met, or cannot be met in the time estimated to be 
     required in subparagraph (A); and
       (C) estimates of the amount of resources, including United 
     States personnel, materiel, and funding, required to achieve 
     the objective; and
       (3) list the expected contribution for security assistance 
     made by European member countries of the North Atlantic 
     Treaty Organization within the next fiscal year.
       (c) Form.--The report required by subsection (a) shall be 
     submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified 
     annex.
       (d) Briefing.--Not later than 45 days after the date of the 
     submission of the report required by subsection (a), the 
     Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State shall provide 
     to the appropriate congressional committees, and other 
     Members of Congress that wish to participate, a briefing on 
     the United States strategy with respect to Ukraine and plans 
     for the implementation of such strategy.
       (e) Limitation on Funds.--None of the amounts authorized to 
     be appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act, the 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, or 
     the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 
     (division B of Public Law 118-50) may be made available for 
     Ukraine until the report required by subsection (a) is 
     submitted to the appropriate congressional committees and the 
     briefing required by subsection (d) is held.
       (f) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     means--
       (1) the congressional defense committees; and
       (2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
     Senate.


            Amendment No. 39 Offered by Mr. Gosar of Arizona

       At the end of subtitle A of title XVII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 17__. LIMITATION ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS FOR UKRAINE.

       None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act 
     or otherwise made available for construction of covered 
     military unaccompanied housing (as defined in section

[[Page H4015]]

     2856 of title 10, United States Code) for fiscal year 2025 or 
     any fiscal year thereafter are authorized to be transferred 
     or otherwise made available to Ukraine or to provide any form 
     of assistance to Ukraine.


          Amendment No. 57 Offered by Mr. Rosendale of Montana

       At the end of subtitle E of title X, insert the following:

     SEC. 10__. LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY OF ARMED FORCES TO DETAIN 
                   CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES.

       Section 1021(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act 
     for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112-81; 10 U.S.C. 801 note) 
     is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
     inserting ``, other than a citizen of the United States,'' 
     after ``any person''.


          Amendment No. 58 Offered by Mr. McCormick of Georgia

       Strike section 565 and insert the following:

     SEC. 565. TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 
                   EMPLOYMENT NAVIGATOR AND PARTNERSHIP PILOT 
                   PROGRAM.

       (a) Establishment.--Not later than one year after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of 
     the department in which the Coast Guard is operating when it 
     is not operating as a service in the Navy, and the Secretary 
     of Veterans Affairs, shall carry out a pilot program to be 
     known as the ``Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot 
     Program''. The pilot program shall supplement the program 
     under section 1144 of title 10, United States Code.
       (b) Activities.--In carrying out the pilot program under 
     this section, the Secretary of Labor, in consultation with 
     the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the department in 
     which the Coast Guard is operating when it is not operating 
     as a service in the Navy, and the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs, shall--
       (1) seek to enter into contracts with public, private, and 
     nonprofit entities under which such entities provide 
     individualized employment counseling for members of the Armed 
     Forces and their spouses;
       (2) prioritize entering into contracts with qualified 
     private entities that have experience providing instruction 
     to members of the Armed Forces eligible for assistance under 
     the pilot program carried out under this section on--
       (A) private sector culture, resume writing, career 
     networking, and training on job search technologies;
       (B) academic readiness and educational opportunities; or
       (C) other relevant topics, as determined by the Secretary;
       (3) prioritize entering into a contract with a qualified 
     private entity that is an existing Employment Navigator and 
     Partnership Pilot Program partner with experience integrating 
     members of the Armed Forces into local communities across the 
     entire nation, to:
       (A) Lead the program in clause (2) and, following person-
     to-person interactions and discussions with the individuals 
     seeking assistance, provide referrals to the organizations 
     under contract with the Secretary based on the Armed Forces 
     member or veterans preferences, geographic location, and 
     other factors;
       (B) Provide comprehensive wrap-around services to the those 
     individuals receiving assistance under this title, to include 
     services with other matters related to transition, and remain 
     in contact with the individuals through person-to-person 
     engagements throughout the process;
       (iii) Provide close coordination with contracted 
     organizations and follow-up communications with those 
     enrolled in the Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot 
     Program to ensure a smooth transition;
       (iv) Ensure the Secretary is provided with appropriate data 
     on referrals, outcomes, and issues that arise to enable 
     proper oversight of the program;
       (4) give a preference to any private entity that--
       (A) has a national or international geographical area of 
     service;
       (B) provides multiple forms of career assistance and 
     placement services to--
       (i) active duty members of the Armed Forces;
       (ii) spouses of active duty members of the Armed Forces;
       (iii) veterans; and
       (iv) spouses of veterans;
       (C) provides services to at least 1,000 individuals who 
     are--
       (i) active duty members of the Armed Forces;
       (ii) spouses of active duty members of the Armed Forces;
       (iii) veterans; or
       (iv) spouses of veterans;
       (D) has continuously, for at least the three-year period 
     immediately preceding the date of the contract, provided 
     services to individuals who are--
       (i) active duty members of the Armed Forces;
       (ii) spouses of active duty members of the Armed Forces;
       (iii) veterans; and
       (iv) spouses of veterans; and
       (E) has a demonstrated record of success in providing 
     assistance with employment services, as indicated by--
       (i) the average wages or earnings of people who receive 
     employment services provided by the entity;
       (ii) prior completion of Federal grants or contracts;
       (iii) having at least 75 percent of its participants find 
     full-time employment within six months of initially receiving 
     employment services provided by the entity; and
       (iv) other employment performance indicators, as determined 
     by the Secretary; and
       (5) seek to enter into contracts with not fewer than 10, 
     but not more than 60, private entities under which each such 
     entity is compensated at a rate agreed upon between the 
     Secretary and the entity for each individual who receives 
     employment services provided by the entity and is in 
     unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit 
     from the program; and
       (6) conduct such other activities as may be necessary for 
     the delivery of individualized employment counseling and 
     other employment services under this section.
       (c) Report.--Not later than October 1 of each year during 
     the term of the pilot program, the Secretary of Labor, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of 
     the department in which the Coast Guard is operating when it 
     is not operating as a service in the Navy, and the Secretary 
     of Veterans Affairs, shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
     Services, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
     of the House of Representatives, and the Committees on 
     Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives 
     a report on the pilot program under this section, including 
     the employment outcomes for members of the Armed Forces and 
     their spouses who receive employment services under the 
     program on the following indicators of performance--
       (1) the percentage of program participants who are in 
     unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit 
     from the program;
       (2) the percentage of program participants who are in 
     unsubsidized employment during the fourth quarter after exit 
     from the program; and
       (3) the median earnings of program participants who are in 
     unsubsidized employment during the second quarter after exit 
     from the program.
       (d) Termination.--The pilot program shall terminate five 
     years after the date on which the Secretary of Labor begins 
     to carry out the pilot program.


           Amendment No. 61 Offered by Mr. Donalds of Florida

       At the end of subtitle A of title XVII, insert the 
     following new section:

     SEC. 17__. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE REQUIREMENT TO USE 
                   ``TAIWAN''.

       (a) In General.--The Department of Defense may not use 
     ``Chinese Taipei'' and shall use ``Taiwan'', except--
       (1) in historical context explaining the People's Republic 
     of China's attempt to control Taiwan through persuasion and 
     coercion; or
       (2) in the formal title of a Federal document.
       (b) Requirement to Update Website.--Not later than 14 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Defense shall ensure the website of the Department of Defense 
     meets the requirements of this section.


           Amendment No. 118 Offered by Mr. Luttrell of Texas

       At the appropriate place in title XV, insert the following:

     SEC. 15__. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE USE OF LARGE LANGUAGE 
                   MODELS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense, acting through 
     the Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer of the 
     Department of Defense, shall coordinate and accelerate the 
     adoption of large language models by the Department of 
     Defense by improving the access and quality of the existing 
     structured and unstructured data of the Department to ensure 
     such data is immediately ready to use in conjunction with 
     machine learning applications being developed, tested, or in 
     production by the Armed Forces.
       (b) Duties of Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence 
     Officer.--The Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer 
     shall---
       (1) develop a list of large language model use cases for 
     defense and intelligence applications, including cases that 
     have the potential to support personnel and manpower, 
     operations, intelligence, logistics, strategic planning, 
     command and control, joint force development, and force 
     structure, transform business processes, and improve non-
     mission capable rates;
       (2) develop and make available to the Secretary tooling to 
     ingest and transform natural language, and other types of 
     unstructured data, into formats compatible with commercially 
     available large language models; and
       (3) provide access to capabilities, such as data 
     preparation, for elements within the Department of Defense 
     that are necessary for use with large language models.
       (c) Contracting Authorities And Limitations.--
       (1) In general.--The Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence 
     Officer may enter into contracts with private-sector 
     entities, as appropriate, to carry out the requirements of 
     subsection (b)(2).
       (2) Limitation.--The Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence 
     Officer may coordinate with other elements of the Department 
     of Defense with contracting authority as required to carry 
     out the duties described in subsection (b).

[[Page H4016]]

       (d) Semiannual Briefings.--Not later than 120 days after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act and not less frequently 
     than semiannually thereafter, the Chief Data and Artificial 
     Intelligence Officer shall provide to the congressional 
     defense committees a briefing on the implementation of this 
     section.


          Amendment No. 119 Offered by Mr. Donalds of Florida

       At the end of subtitle C of title XVII, add the following:

     SEC. 17__. DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL STRATEGY.

       (a) In General.--The President shall, in consultation with 
     the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
     the Secretary of Energy, the Chief of the National Guard 
     Bureau, the Chief of Engineers of the Army Corps of 
     Engineers, the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Nuclear 
     Energy of the Department of Energy, the Under Secretary of 
     Defense for Research and Engineering, the Chairman of the 
     Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Deputy Assistant 
     Secretary for the Office of Reactor Fleet and Advanced 
     Reactor Deployment of the Department of Energy, develop a 
     national strategy to utilize microreactors to assist with 
     natural disaster response efforts.
       (b) Submission to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after 
     the date of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years 
     thereafter, the President shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a comprehensive national strategy 
     developed under subsection (a).
       (c) Contents of National Strategy.--A national strategy 
     developed under subsection (a) shall include the following:
       (1) Evaluation of existing diesel deployment efforts.--An 
     assessment of the effectiveness of utilizing diesel 
     generators to assist with natural disaster response efforts, 
     which such assessment shall include--
       (A) information on the current use of diesel generators to 
     assist with natural disaster response efforts, including--
       (i) the prevalence of deploying diesel generators around 
     the United States as the sole power source to assist with 
     natural disaster response efforts;
       (ii) the average number of diesel generators deployed in 
     natural disaster response efforts based on the type of 
     natural disaster, the severity of the natural disaster, and 
     the location of the natural disaster;
       (iii) where Federal, State, and local governments store 
     diesel generators;
       (iv) how diesel generators are transported to areas 
     affected by a natural disaster;
       (v) any logistical concerns with refueling diesel 
     generators over an extended period of time;
       (vi) the potential to utilize accessory equipment that is 
     traditionally connected to diesel generators to help provide 
     electricity to the area in need; and
       (vii) any other information that is necessary to understand 
     the role of diesel generators used to assist with natural 
     disaster response efforts;
       (B) how the effect on the environment of utilizing diesel 
     generators to assist with natural disaster response efforts 
     compares to the estimated effect on the environment of 
     utilizing microreactors to assist with the same natural 
     disaster response efforts; and
       (C) the concerns to public safety when deploying diesel 
     generators in natural disaster response efforts.
       (2) Goals, objectives, and priorities.--A comprehensive, 
     research-based, and long-term discussion of goals, 
     objectives, and priorities for utilizing microreactors 
     instead of diesel generators to assist with natural disaster 
     response efforts.
       (3) Department of defense analysis.--An analysis of--
       (A) how the efforts of the Department of Defense to develop 
     microreactor technology for operational uses could be used to 
     inform the development of microreactors to assist with 
     natural disaster response efforts, including any 
     recommendations and additional direction that may be 
     necessary for such expedited deployment;
       (B) how the Department of Defense can most effectively 
     translate and implement the lessons learned from its 
     operations in the field to assist with natural disaster 
     response efforts, including how operations in the field 
     related to microreactors can be used to answer broad 
     questions for the nuclear industry and for future issues 
     relating to fuel reliability, energy supply chain issues, 
     reducing diesel convoy causalities, and supporting other 
     global humanitarian needs; and
       (C) whether a demonstration program for microreactors is 
     needed prior to deploying microreactors for natural disaster 
     response efforts, based on the analysis provided by 
     subparagraphs (A) and (B).
       (4) Recommendations for the nuclear regulatory 
     commission.--Recommendations on how the Nuclear Regulatory 
     Commission can work with other Federal agencies to expedite--
       (A) the approval of designs for microreactors; and
       (B) issuing licenses for the utilization, transportation, 
     and operation of microreactors in rapid deployment scenarios, 
     such as natural disaster response efforts.
       (5) Utilizing feasibility studies.--An analysis of 
     available academic literature and studies, including site 
     feasibility studies, to identify high risk areas that are 
     prone to natural disasters that should be prioritized during 
     emergency planning.
       (6) Strategic considerations when deploying 
     microreactors.--An assessment of various strategic 
     considerations to improve the efficiency, timeliness, and 
     cost-effectiveness of deploying microreactors to assist with 
     natural disaster response efforts, including--
       (A) whether the Department of Defense, the Federal 
     Emergency Management Agency, or any other government entity 
     should build, own, or operate microreactors that are used to 
     assist with natural disaster response efforts, including 
     whether it would be viable to lease microreactors from 
     private industry and whether it would be viable to facilitate 
     public-private partnerships to find cost effective options to 
     utilize microreactors for natural disaster response efforts;
       (B) the recommended number of individuals charged with the 
     usage, maintenance, and upkeep of the microreactors, 
     including the recommended qualifications, training 
     requirements, availability requirements, and oversight 
     responsibility of such individuals;
       (C) the number of microreactors needed, initially and in 
     the long-term, to effectively respond to a natural disaster 
     based on past natural disaster trends and the specific 
     geographic location of the area;
       (D) where microreactors used to assist with natural 
     disaster response efforts would be stored, including 
     information on--
       (i) how different microreactor storage locations may affect 
     swift and economically feasible natural disaster response 
     efforts;
       (ii) the feasibility of utilizing already-built facilities 
     instead of constructing new microreactor storage facilities;
       (iii) the cost of constructing new microreactor storage 
     facilities;
       (iv) how to properly store the microreactor when not being 
     utilized for natural disaster response efforts; and
       (v) potential storage locations, such as--

       (I) the Strategic Alliance for FLEX Emergency Response 
     locations in Memphis, Tennessee and Phoenix, Arizona; and
       (II) Department of Defense bases;

       (E) how to maintain a microreactor and replace, store, and 
     dispose of fuel used by a microreactor, including whether 
     public-private partnerships may be used to assist with such 
     maintenance, replacement, storage, and disposal;
       (F) when a diesel generator will suffice in the event of a 
     natural disaster of limited proportions, in comparison to 
     utilizing microreactors to assist with natural disaster 
     response efforts;
       (G) which States and territories and possessions of the 
     United States that are prone to natural disasters, such as 
     hurricanes, should be prioritized when initially selecting 
     locations to deploy microreactors to assist with natural 
     disaster response efforts;
       (H) the methods, capabilities, and costs associated with 
     transporting microreactors that were or may be impacted by 
     natural disasters, including considerations about 
     transporting new microreactors, in addition to microreactors 
     that have been put to use, and any regulatory or legal issues 
     that may arise during the transportation;
       (I) any other strategic considerations that should be taken 
     into account before deploying microreactors to assist with 
     natural disaster response efforts;
       (J) how to integrate microreactors into existing electrical 
     grids in emergency situations, including how grid connection 
     points, microgrid limits, site load limits, existing 
     infrastructure, and the standard process for grid 
     interconnections may impact the integration of microreactors 
     into existing electrical grid;
       (K) whether microreactors will be susceptible to 
     cyberattacks, including whether autonomous control will 
     impact the microreactor's cyberattack susceptibility and what 
     systems or microreactor designs would be ideal for combating 
     such cyberattacks during a natural disaster response effort; 
     and
       (L) how the weight of a microreactor, compared to the 
     weight of a diesel generator, affects deploying microreactors 
     and diesel generators to assist with natural disaster 
     response efforts.
       (7) Deployment challenges and barriers.--An assessment of--
       (A) the challenges and barriers to deploying microreactors 
     to assist with natural disaster response efforts; and
       (B) solutions to address each such challenge and barrier.
       (8) Review of and recommendations for legislation.--
       (A) Review.--A review of existing law that can be used to 
     ease the burden of utilizing microreactors to assist with 
     natural disaster response efforts, including the Robert T. 
     Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
     U.S.C. 15801 et seq.), the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 
     U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), the Nuclear Energy Innovation and 
     Modernization Act (42 U.S.C. 2215 note), and any other 
     relevant law.
       (B) Recommendations.--Recommendations for legislation to--
       (i) assist with--

       (I) deploying microreactors to assist with natural disaster 
     response efforts;
       (II) the maintenance and upkeep of such microreactors; and
       (III) the initial and long-term storage of such 
     microreactors; and

       (ii) pay for the activities described in subclauses (I) 
     through (III) of clause (i).
       (9) Partnerships to enhance natural disaster response 
     efforts.--An assessment about--
       (A) the current status of any collaboration between the 
     National Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the 
     Army

[[Page H4017]]

     Corps of Engineers during natural disaster response efforts;
       (B) the specific roles of each entity specified in 
     subparagraph (A) (disaggregated, in the case of the National 
     Guard, by State and by military department) during a natural 
     disaster response effort, and their respective roles when 
     participating in natural disaster response efforts;
       (C) the current emergency responsibilities of the 
     Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
     that relate to deploying microreactors during natural 
     disaster response efforts;
       (D) the potential opportunity to set up an annual listening 
     group session or consortium to provide all the necessary 
     information needed to deploy microreactors to assist with 
     natural disaster response efforts and to ensure a smooth 
     transition from the use of diesel generators to the use of 
     microreactors to assist with natural disaster response 
     efforts;
       (E) how the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, 
     consented to by Congress in the joint resolution entitled 
     ``Joint resolution granting the consent of Congress to the 
     Emergency Management Assistance Compact'' (Public Law 104-
     321), can be utilized to allow States to allocate their 
     unused microreactors to other States that are in need of 
     microreactors to assist with natural disaster response 
     efforts; and
       (F) how to improve the collaboration between Federal, 
     State, and local government entities and private entities 
     when deploying microreactors to assist with natural disaster 
     response efforts.
       (10) Utilizing microreactors to charge electric vehicles.--
     Recommendations on how to utilize microreactors as charging 
     stations for electric vehicles in the event of a mass 
     evacuation resulting from a natural disaster, including 
     recommendations on--
       (A) how to deploy microreactors to charge electric vehicles 
     before an evacuation;
       (B) the primary transportation corridors that would be used 
     for such a mass evacuation;
       (C) how many microreactors would be needed to charge 
     electric vehicles during such a mass evacuation, based on the 
     size and population of the State in which the mass evacuation 
     occurs;
       (D) the best placement of microreactors throughout the 
     primary transportation corridors to ensure a smooth electric 
     vehicle charging process and subsequent evacuation;
       (E) any potential public-private partnerships that would be 
     useful in utilizing microreactors to charge electric vehicles 
     during a mass evacuation, including an estimate of the costs 
     that would be associated with establishing these 
     partnerships;
       (F) how to--
       (i) transport microreactors to mass evacuation locations 
     along primary transportation corridors for purposes of 
     charging electric vehicles; and
       (ii) pay for such transportation; and
       (G) any other topic related to subparagraphs (A) through 
     (F).
       (11) Deploying microreactors to united states territories 
     and possessions.--Recommendations on deploying microreactors 
     to territories and possessions of the United States to assist 
     with natural disaster response efforts.
       (12) Using military equipment with nuclear capabilities.--
     Recommendations on how to, in the event of a natural disaster 
     and when the deployment of a microreactor is not timely or 
     ideal for the circumstance, deploy military equipment of the 
     United States with nuclear capabilities, such as nuclear 
     aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines, to provide 
     temporary electricity to an area severely impacted by a 
     natural disaster.
       (13) Budget priorities.--A multiyear budget plan that 
     identifies the necessary resources to successfully carry out 
     the recommendations and implement any lessons learned from 
     the assessments and other analysis under this subsection.
       (14) Technology enhancements.--An analysis of current and 
     developing ways to leverage existing and innovative 
     technology to improve the effectiveness of efforts to deploy 
     microreactors to assist with natural disaster response 
     efforts.
       (15) Using innovative tools to predict natural disasters.--
     A description of how to utilize innovative technology, such 
     as artificial intelligence and predictive meteorological 
     tools, to prepare for the utilization of microreactors before 
     a natural disaster.
       (16) Floating nuclear barges.--An assessment of how 
     floating nuclear barges compare to using portable 
     microreactors, including--
       (A) the advantages and disadvantages of using a portable 
     microreactor compared to a floating nuclear barge; and
       (B) an identification of scenarios during which a floating 
     nuclear barge would be preferred over a portable 
     microreactor.
       (d) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on 
     Armed Services, the Committee on Oversight and 
     Accountability, and the Committee on Science, Space, and 
     Technology of the House of Representatives; and
       (B) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the 
     Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Environment and 
     Public Works, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate.
       (2) Local government.--The term ``local government'' has 
     the meaning given such term in section 102 of the Robert T. 
     Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5122).
       (3) Microreactor.--The term ``microreactor'' means a 
     nuclear reactor, including a portable nuclear reactor, that 
     has an electricity generating capacity of not more than 20 
     megawatts of thermal energy.
       (4) Natural disaster.--The term ``natural disaster'' has 
     the meaning given the term ``Major disaster'' in section 102 
     of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
     Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122), except that the term 
     ``natural disaster'' does not include a wildfire.
       (5) Natural disaster response effort.--The term ``natural 
     disaster response effort'' means a circumstance in which a 
     State or local government requests assistance under the 
     Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), including assistance to address 
     the loss of primary electrical capacity as a result of a 
     natural disaster.
       (6) State.--The term ``State'' means a State of the United 
     States and the District of Columbia.


          Amendment No. 120 Offered by Mr. Green of Tennessee

       At the end of subtitle A of title XII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 12___. GENERAL THADDEUS KOSCIUSZKO MEMORIAL EXCHANGE 
                   PROGRAM FOR POLISH-AMERICAN DEFENSE 
                   COOPERATION.

       (a) Authority.--The Commander of United States Army Special 
     Operations Command shall seek to carry out a training program 
     pursuant to section 322 of title 10, United States Code, 
     between special operations forces under the jurisdiction of 
     the Commander and special forces of the Polish Army. Such 
     program shall be known as the ``General Thaddeus Kosciuszko 
     Memorial Exchange Program for Polish-American Defense 
     Cooperation''.
       (b) Eligibility.--Officers and enlisted members of such 
     special operations forces may participate in the program 
     under this section.
       (c) Progress Report.--Not later than 120 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Commander shall submit 
     to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House 
     of Representatives a report regarding progress of the 
     Commander in carrying out the program under this section.


         Amendment No. 121 Offered by Mr. Bilirakis of Florida

       Add at the end of subtitle D of title XII the following:

     SEC. 1236. REPORT ON MULTILATERAL EXERCISES IN THE EASTERN 
                   MEDITERRANEAN.

       (a) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
     submit to the congressional defense committees a report on 
     multilateral exercises in the eastern Mediterranean.
       (2) Elements.--The report required under paragraph (1) 
     shall contain the following elements:
       (A) An assessment of the effectiveness of multilateral 
     military exercises hosted by United State allies and partners 
     in the eastern Mediterranean in bolstering maritime energy 
     security and counterterrorism in the region.
       (B) Individual assessments of the potential benefits of 
     including the following countries in future exercises and 
     their readiness to participate based on interoperability:
       (i) Bahrain.
       (ii) Egypt.
       (iii) Jordan.
       (iv) United Arab Emirates
       (v) Saudi Arabia
       (b) Form.--The report required under paragraph (1) shall be 
     transmitted in an unclassified form and may contain a 
     classified annex.


       Amendment No. 122 Offered by Mr. Gottheimer of New Jersey

       At the end of subtitle B of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 12_. STUDY AND REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL SECURITY MEASURES 
                   ON THE BORDER BETWEEN GAZA AND EGYPT.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense, in coordination 
     with the Secretary of State, shall conduct a study on steps 
     that Israel, Egypt, and the United States can take to enhance 
     international security measures on the border between Gaza 
     and Egypt to ensure Hamas and other actors do not use tunnels 
     or methods via the Mediterranean Sea to smuggle weapons and 
     illicit goods.
       (b) Report.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees a report that contains 
     the results of the study.
       (2) Matters to be included.--The report required by this 
     subsection shall include a description and map indicating 
     existing tunnels on the border between Gaza and Egypt.
       (3) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``appropriate 
     congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
       (B) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations of the Senate.

[[Page H4018]]

  



             Amendment No. 123 Offered by Mr. Self of Texas

       At the end of subtitle C of title X, insert the following:

     SEC. 10__. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NAMING OF NAVAL VESSEL 
                   AFTER LIEUTENANT GENERAL RICHARD E. CAREY.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the Secretary of the Navy should name the Spearhead-class 
     expeditionary fast transport vessel of the United States Navy 
     that has been ordered (Hull Number T-EPF-16) in honor of 
     Lieutenant General Richard E. Carey for the acts of valor 
     described in subsection (b).
       (b) Acts of Valor.--The acts of valor described in this 
     subsection are as follows:
       (1) Lieutenant General Richard E. Carey participated in the 
     Inchon Landing, captured communist forces, and led his rifle 
     platoon to Seoul. Three months later, on East Hill at the 
     Chosin Reservoir, Carey hurled grenades at Chinese forces. 
     Carey and his fellow Marines were outnumbered eight to one. 
     They held their ground and broke through the Chinese trap to 
     the sea.
       (2) Carey remained in the fight until March 1951. While 
     commanding a platoon of machine gunners, Carey was badly 
     wounded. He continued leading his troops and initially 
     refused to get aid for his injuries. Carey's wounds required 
     hospitalization. During 189 days in Korea, Carey had seven 
     near-death experiences. As a result of his actions in Korea, 
     Carey received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple 
     Heart.
       (3) Returning to the United States, Carey earned a flight 
     training slot and became a fighter pilot. In the early 1960s 
     Carey scouted Marine airfield sites in Vietnam. He returned 
     to Vietnam in the summer of 1967 and served during the Tet 
     offensive. Carey flew 204 combat sorties earning the 
     Distinguished Flying Cross and 16 Air Medals.


          Amendment No. 124 Offered by Mr. Green of Tennessee

       Add at the end of subtitle D of title XV the following:

     SEC. 1538. REPORT ON STATE NATIONAL GUARD CYBER UNITS.

       The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional 
     defense committees a report on the feasibility of 
     establishing a cyber unit in every National Guard of a State 
     to ensure the ability of a State to quickly respond to cyber-
     attacks in such State.


           Amendment No. 125 Offered by Mr. Frost of Florida

       At the end of subtitle B of title XVII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 17__. INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
                   ANNUAL REPORT ON OVERSIGHT OF FRAUD, WASTE, AND 
                   ABUSE.

       Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of 
     this section, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Inspector 
     General of the Department of Defense shall submit to Congress 
     and the Comptroller General of the United States, and make 
     publicly available, a report containing, for each fiscal 
     year--
       (1) a description of the budget of the Department of 
     Defense, the total amount and dollar value of oversight 
     investigations into fraud, waste, and abuse conducted by the 
     Inspector General of the Department of Defense, and the total 
     amount and dollar value of oversight investigations into 
     fraud, waste, and abuse conducted by the Inspectors General 
     of each military department;
       (2) statistical tables showing--
       (A) the total number and dollar value of oversight 
     investigations completed and pending, set forth separately by 
     type of oversight investigation;
       (B) the priority given to each type of oversight 
     investigation;
       (C) the length of time taken for each type of oversight 
     investigation, from the date of receipt of a qualified 
     incurred cost submission (as such term is defined in section 
     3842 of title 10, United States Code) and from the date on 
     which the oversight investigation begins;
       (D) the aggregate cost of performing oversight 
     investigations, set forth separately by type of oversight 
     investigation; and
       (E) the total number and dollar value of oversight 
     investigations that are pending for a period longer than one 
     year at the end of the fiscal year covered by the report, and 
     the fiscal year in which the qualified incurred cost 
     submission was received, set forth separately by type of 
     oversight investigation;
       (3) a summary of any recommendations of actions or 
     resources needed to improve the oversight investigation 
     process; and
       (4) any other matters the Inspector General considers 
     appropriate.


          Amendment No. 126 Offered by Ms. Tenney of New York

       Page 244, insert after line 21 the following (and conform 
     the table of contents accordingly):

     SEC. 5__. CORRECTION OF CERTAIN CITATIONS IN TITLE 18, UNITED 
                   STATES CODE, RELATING TO SEXUAL OFFENSES.

       Part I of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in section 2241(c)--
       (A) in the second sentence, by inserting ``or an offense 
     under the Uniform Code of Military Justice'' after ``State 
     offense''; and
       (B) by striking ``either such provision'' and inserting 
     ``any such provision'';
       (2) in section 2251(e), by striking ``section 920 of title 
     10 (article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), or 
     under'' each place it appears and inserting ``the Uniform 
     Code of Military Justice or'';
       (3) in section 2252(b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``section 920 of title 10 
     (article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), or 
     under'' and inserting ``the Uniform Code of Military Justice 
     or''; and
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``section 920 of title 10 
     (article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), or 
     under'' and inserting ``the Uniform Code of Military Justice 
     or'';
       (4) in section 2252A(b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``section 920 of title 10 
     (article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), or 
     under'' and inserting ``the Uniform Code of Military Justice 
     or''; and
       (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``section 920 of title 10 
     (article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice), or 
     under'' and inserting ``the Uniform Code of Military Justice 
     or'';
       (5) in section 2426(b)(1)(B), by inserting ``or the Uniform 
     Code of Military Justice'' after ``State law''; and
       (6) in section 3559(e)(2)--
       (A) in subparagraph (B)--
       (i) by striking ``State sex offense'' and inserting ``State 
     or Military sex offense''; and
       (ii) by inserting ``or the Uniform Code of Military 
     Justice'' after ``State law''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``or Military'' after 
     ``State''.


          Amendment No. 127 Offered by Mr. Green of Tennessee

       Add at the end of subtitle E of title XXVIII the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 28__. REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN ACCESS TO CATEGORY 3 
                   SUBTERRANEAN TRAINING FACILITY.

       (a) Requirement to Maintain Access.--The Secretary of 
     Defense shall ensure that the Department of Defense maintains 
     access to a covered category 3 subterranean training facility 
     on a continuing basis.
       (b) Authority to Enter Into Lease.--The Secretary of 
     Defense may enter into a short-term lease with a provider of 
     a covered category 3 subterranean training facility for 
     purposes of compliance with subsection (a).
       (c) Covered Category 3 Subterranean Training Facility 
     Defined.--In this section, the term ``covered category 3 
     subterranean training facility'' means a category 3 
     subterranean training facility (as defined in section 2869 of 
     the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 
     (Public Law 117-263)) that is--
       (1) operational on or before the date of the enactment of 
     this Act; and
       (2) deemed safe for use on such date.

             Amendment No. 128 Offered by Mr. Roy of Texas

       At the end of subtitle B of title XII, insert the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 12_. PROHIBITION ON PROVIDING FUNDING TO IRANIAN 
                   ENTITIES.

       (a) In General.--None of the funds authorized to be 
     appropriated to the Department of Defense or otherwise made 
     available by this Act may be made available, directly or 
     indirectly, to--
       (1) the Government of Iran;
       (2) any person owned or controlled by the Government of 
     Iran;
       (3) any person that is on the List of Specially Designated 
     Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of 
     Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury and 
     the property and interests in property of which are blocked 
     pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act; 
     or
       (4) any person owned or controlled by a person described in 
     paragraph (3).
       (b) Exception for Intelligence Activities.--The prohibition 
     under subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to 
     activities subject to the reporting requirements under title 
     V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et 
     seq.) or any authorized intelligence activities of the United 
     States.


             Amendment No. 129 Offered by Mr. Roy of Texas

       Add at the end of title IV, the following:

                          Subtitle D--Reports

     SEC. 431. ANNUAL DEFENSE MANPOWER PROFILE REPORT: EXPANSION 
                   OF JUSTIFICATIONS FOR END STRENGTHS.

       Section 115a of title 10, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``Congress'' and 
     inserting ``to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate 
     and the House of Representatives, and furnish to any Member 
     of Congress upon request,''; and
       (2) in subsection (b)--
       (A) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The Secretary''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(2) The justification and explanation required by 
     paragraph (1) shall include the following:
       ``(A) An assessment of the most important threats facing 
     the United States, disaggregated by geographic combatant 
     command.
       ``(B) An explanation of how personnel end strength level 
     requests address threats described in subparagraph (A).
       ``(C) The rationale for recommended increases or decreases 
     in active, reserve, and civilian personnel for each component 
     of the Department of Defense.
       ``(D) The rationale for recommended increases or decreases 
     in active, reserve, and civilian personnel for each of the 
     geographic combatant commands.
       ``(E) The primary functions or missions of active, reserve, 
     and civilian personnel in each geographic combatant command.

[[Page H4019]]

       ``(F) An assessment of any areas in which decreases in 
     active, reserve, or civilian personnel would not result in a 
     decrease in readiness.
       ``(G) The actual end strength number for each armed force 
     for the prior fiscal year, compared to authorized end 
     strength levels.
       ``(H) The shortfall in recruiting by each armed force as a 
     percentage, as the Secretary determines appropriate.
       ``(I) The number of applicants who were found to be 
     ineligible for service in the Department of Defense during 
     the prior fiscal year as a result of current enlistment 
     standards, disaggregated by armed force and reason for 
     disqualification.''.


         Amendment No. 130 Offered by Ms. Budzinski of Illinois

       At the end of subtitle B of title VIII, insert the 
     following new section:

     SEC. 8__. REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO COMBAT FOOTWEAR OF 
                   MEMBERS OF ALL BRANCHES OF THE ARMED FORCES.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Defense shall 
     issue regulations prohibiting any member of the Armed Forces 
     from wearing optional combat boots as part of a required 
     uniform unless the optional combat boots are entirely 
     manufactured in the United States and entirely made of--
       (1) materials grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in 
     the United States; and
       (2) components that are manufactured entirely in the United 
     States and entirely made of materials described in paragraph 
     (1).
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``optional combat boots'', with respect to a 
     member of the Armed Forces, combat boots not furnished to 
     such member of the Armed Forces by the Secretary of Defense.
       (2) The term ``required uniform'' means a uniform a member 
     of the Armed Forces is required to wear as a member of the 
     Armed Forces.


         Amendment No. 131 Offered by Ms. Porter of California

       At the end of subtitle C of title XXVIII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 28__. SCREENING AND REGISTRY OF INDIVIDUALS WITH HEALTH 
                   CONDITIONS RESULTING FROM UNSAFE HOUSING UNITS.

       (a) In General.--Subchapter V of chapter 169 of title 10, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
     following new section:

     ``Sec. 2895. Screening and registry of individuals with 
       health conditions resulting from unsafe housing units

       ``(a) Screening.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense, in 
     consultation with appropriate scientific agencies as 
     determined by the Secretary, shall ensure that all military 
     medical treatment facilities screen eligible individuals for 
     covered conditions.
       ``(2) Establishment of procedures.--The Secretary may 
     establish procedures through which screening under paragraph 
     (1) may allow an eligible individual to be included in the 
     registry under subsection (b).
       ``(b) Registry.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish 
     and maintain a registry of eligible individuals who have a 
     covered condition.
       ``(2) Inclusion of information.--The Secretary shall 
     include any information in the registry under paragraph (1) 
     that the Secretary determines necessary to ascertain and 
     monitor the health of eligible individuals and the connection 
     between the health of such individuals and an unsafe housing 
     unit.
       ``(3) Public information campaign.--The Secretary shall 
     develop a public information campaign to inform eligible 
     individuals about the registry under paragraph (1), including 
     how to register and the benefits of registering.
       ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) The term `covered condition' means a medical 
     condition that is determined by the Secretary of Defense to 
     have resulted from residing in an unsafe housing unit.
       ``(2) The term `eligible individual' means a member of the 
     armed forces or a family member of a member of the armed 
     forces who has resided in an unsafe housing unit.
       ``(3) The term `unsafe housing unit' means a dwelling unit 
     that--
       ``(A) does not meet the housing quality standards 
     established under section 8(o)(8)(B) of the United States 
     Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)(8)(B)); or
       ``(B) is not free from dangerous air pollution levels from 
     mold.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such subchapter is amended by inserting after 
     the item relating to section 2894a the following new item:

``2895. Screening and registry of individuals with health conditions 
              resulting from unsafe housing units.''.

          Amendment No. 132 Offered by Ms. Salazar of Florida

       At the end of subtitle D of title III, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 3__. STUDY ON USE AND PRESENCE OF TOXIC CHEMICALS IN 
                   PANAMA CANAL ZONE.

       (a) Study Required.--Not later than December 31, 2025, the 
     Armed Forces Pest Management Board shall conduct a study on 
     the use and presence of herbicide agents and toxic chemicals 
     by the Department in the Panama Canal Zone during the period 
     beginning on January 1, 1958, and ending on December 31, 
     1999.
       (b) Elements.--The study conducted under subsection (a) 
     shall include the following:
       (1) An assessment to determine the degree to which 
     herbicide agents, including those known as ``rainbow 
     herbicides'', and other toxic chemicals were used, tested, 
     stored, or otherwise dispensed within the Panama Canal Zone 
     while members of the United States Armed Forces were 
     stationed there.
       (2) An assessment of how many members of the United States 
     Armed Forces may have been affected by the usage of herbicide 
     agents and other toxic chemicals.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``herbicide agent'' means a chemical in an 
     herbicide.
       (2) The term ``rainbow herbicide'' means herbicides known 
     as Agent Pink, Agent Purple, Agent Blue, Agent Green, Agent 
     White, and Agent Orange.
       (3) The term ``toxic chemicals'' means persistent organic 
     pollutants, as defined by the Environmental Protection 
     Agency.


         Amendment No. 133 Offered by Mr. Perry of Pennsylvania

       At the end of subtitle C of title XVII, add the following:

     SEC. 17__. STATEMENT OF POLICY RELATING TO REPORTING 
                   REQUIREMENTS OF CHINA'S MARITIME SAFETY 
                   ADMINISTRATION.

       (a) In General.--It is the policy of the United States to 
     reject as a violation of international law and United States 
     sovereignty any attempt by China's Maritime Safety 
     Administration to compel United States vessels to adhere to 
     any reporting requirements listed within China's Maritime 
     Traffic Safety Law, including any requirements to require a 
     vessel to declare--
       (1) the vessel's name and number;
       (2) the vessel's satellite telephone number;
       (3) the vessel's position and recent locations; and
       (4) the vessel's cargo.
       (b) Applicability.--Subsection (a) applies to all maritime 
     claims made by the People's Republic of China that the United 
     States has rejected, to include virtually all of China's 
     claims within the Nine-Dash Line.


          Amendment No. 135 Offered by Mr. Bowman of New York

       At the end of subtitle D of title V, insert the following:

     SEC. 5__. IMPROVING OVERSIGHT OF MILITARY RECRUITMENT 
                   PRACTICES IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

       The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional 
     defense committees an annual report on military recruitment 
     practices in public secondary schools during calendar year 
     2024 and each subsequent calendar year. Each such report 
     shall include, for the year covered by the report--
       (1) the zip codes of public secondary schools visited by 
     military recruiters;
       (2) the number of recruits from public secondary schools by 
     zip code and local education agency; and
       (3) a demographic analysis, including race, ethnicity, and 
     gender, of recruits from public secondary schools by zip 
     code.


        Amendment No. 136 Offered by Mr. Pappas of New Hampshire

       At the end of subtitle F of title VIII, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 8__. COLLABORATE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REPORT.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Administrator for 
     the Office of Entrepreneurial Development of the Small 
     Business Administration and the Director of Small Business 
     Programs of the Department of Defense shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees a report on the 
     memorandum of understanding (referred to in this section as 
     the ``MOU'') between the Small Business Administration and 
     the Department of Defense entered into on December 2, 2022. 
     Such report shall include the following:
       (1) The status of activities specified in clause (1) of 
     part III of the MOU.
       (2) A summary of the lessons learned specified in clause 
     (1)(b) of part III of the MOU.
       (3) An analysis of the activities and efficacy of those 
     activities specified in clause (3) of part III of the MOU, 
     including any nexus related to small business certifications 
     and use of contracting authorities at the Department of 
     Defense.
       (4) A description of the training and events specified in 
     clause (5) of part III of the MOU.
       (5) A summary of how the MOU prevents small business 
     concerns from receiving duplicative assistance or 
     contradictory or confusing information from covered centers.
       (6) A discussion of the sufficiency of the MOU to achieve 
     the goals to promote entrepreneurship and small business 
     development nationally and locally and maximize participation 
     in government contracting.
       (7) Any recommended changes to existing laws or regulations 
     that would enhance the Parties' ability to reach the MOU's 
     goals.
       (8) Any additional information the Parties deem necessary.
       (b) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committees on Armed Services and Small Business of 
     the House of Representatives; and
       (2) the Committees on Armed Services and Small Business and 
     Entrepreneurship of the Senate.

[[Page H4020]]

  



         Amendment No. 137 Offered by Mr. Guest of Mississippi

       In subtitle C of title XXVIII, add at the end the 
     following:

     SEC. 28__. PROHIBITION ON USE BY AIR FORCE OF CORPORATE 
                   STRUCTURE IN CONDUCTING CERTAIN BASING 
                   DECISIONS.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Air Force may not 
     make any basing decision during the resource allocation plan 
     or program objective memorandum process of the Department of 
     the Air Force (commonly known as a ``programmatic basing 
     decision'') through the use of the DAF Corporate Structure 
     set forth under chapters 3.2 and 7.1 of the Department of the 
     Air Force Instruction 10-503, dated June 12, 2023, relating 
     to strategic basing.
       (b) Update of Instruction and Other Policy.--Not later than 
     30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary of the Air Force shall update any instruction or 
     other policy of the Department of the Air Force to include 
     the prohibition under subsection (a).


          Amendment No. 138 Offered by Mr. Ogles of Tennessee

       At the end of subtitle B of title XIII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 13_. INVITATION TO TAIWAN TO THE RIM OF THE PACIFIC 
                   EXERCISE.

       The Secretary of Defense is directed to invite the naval 
     forces of Taiwan to any Rim of the Pacific Exercise that is 
     to take place following the date of enactment of this Act.


          Amendment No. 139 Offered by Mr. Ogles of Tennessee

       At the end of subtitle A of title XIII, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 13__. MODIFICATION OF PROHIBITION ON PARTICIPATION OF 
                   PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN RIM OF THE 
                   PACIFIC EXERCISES.

        Section 1259(a)(1) of the John S. McCain National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (10 U.S.C. 321 note) 
     is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'';
       (2) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(E) held an internationally recognized free and fair 
     presidential election.''.


             Amendment No. 140 Offered by Ms. Lee of Nevada

       At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 7__. REPORT ON EMERGENCY AND TRAUMA CARE FOR CIVILIANS 
                   AT MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITIES.

       Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
     section, the Director of the Defense Health Agency, in 
     collaboration with military treatment facilities engaged in 
     emergency and trauma care to civilian patients, shall submit 
     to the congressional defense committees a report that 
     includes the following:
       (1) A summary of any challenges that military treatment 
     facilities have encountered in providing emergency and trauma 
     care to civilian patients, including challenges related to 
     the transportation of such patients to and from such 
     facilities, and steps the Director has taken to overcome such 
     challenges.
       (2) An assessment of the effectiveness of the coordination 
     of military treatment facilities with local emergency medical 
     services and any barrier faced by such facilities and 
     services related to providing timely emergency medical care 
     to civilians, including any barrier caused by installation 
     access.
       (3) A summary of efforts the Director has taken to address 
     the issues identified in the report of the Comptroller 
     General of the United States titled ``Defense Health Care: 
     Actions Needed to Improve Billing and Collection of Debt for 
     Civilian Emergency Care'', published on July 7, 2022 (GAO-22-
     104770), including such issues related to inconsistent use of 
     financial relief for civilian emergency patients and the lack 
     of guidance to ensure accurate accounting of billing and 
     collections efforts.
       (4) Any recommendations to improve civilian emergency care 
     at Department of Defense medical treatment facilities, 
     including any recommendations for additional legislation.


         Amendment No. 141 Offered by Mr. Himes of Connecticut

       At the end of subtitle A of title XVI, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 16__. REPORT ON CAPABILITIES IN CISLUNAR SPACE.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     there is a need for comprehensive cislunar space domain 
     awareness capabilities to ensure the safety of flight of 
     civil and commercial missions in cislunar space.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Chief of Space Operations shall 
     submit to the congressional defense committees a report that 
     includes a description of--
       (1) requirements for cislunar space domain awareness 
     capabilities;
       (2) the plan of Department of Defense for researching and 
     developing technologies for cislunar space domain awareness; 
     and
       (3) the progress of the Department in coordinating with the 
     Cislunar Technology Strategy Interagency Working Group to 
     achieve the objectives set forth in the publication of the 
     Working Group titled ``National Cislunar Science and 
     Technology Strategy'' and dated November 2022.


           Amendment No. 142 Offered by Mr. Biggs of Arizona

       At the end of subtitle A of title X, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 10__. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SPENDING REDUCTIONS IN 
                   ABSENCE OF SUBMITTED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OR 
                   FAILURE TO ACHIEVE UNQUALIFIED OR QUALIFIED 
                   INDEPENDENT AUDIT OPINION.

       (a) Applicability.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), this section 
     applies to the Department of Defense, including military 
     departments and Defense Agencies thereof.
       (2) Separate applicability.--If a military department or 
     Defense Agency is identified by the Director of the Office of 
     Management and Budget as required to have its own audited 
     financial statement under section 3515 of title 31, United 
     States Code, that military department and Defense Agency 
     shall be treated separately from the Department of Defense 
     for purposes of application of this section.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The terms ``financial statement'' and ``external 
     independent auditor'' have the meanings given those terms in 
     section 3521(e) of title 31, United States Code.
       (3) The term ``unqualified'', with respect to the audit 
     status of a financial statement, includes the 
     characterizations clean and unmodified.
       (2) The term ``qualified'', with respect to the audit 
     status of a financial statement, includes the 
     characterization modified.
       (c) Adjustments for Financial Accountability.--
       (1) In general.--On March 2 of each fiscal year, the 
     discretionary budget authority available for the Department 
     of Defense (or a military department or Defense Agency 
     covered by subsection (a)(2)) for such fiscal year shall be 
     adjusted as provided in paragraph (2).
       (2) Adjustment.--If the Department of Defense (or a 
     military department or Defense Agency covered by subsection 
     (a)(2)) has not submitted a financial statement for the 
     previous fiscal year, or if such financial statement has not 
     received either an unqualified or a qualified audit opinion 
     by an independent external auditor, the discretionary budget 
     authority available for the Department of Defense, the 
     military department, or the Defense Agency (as the case may 
     be) shall be reduced by .5 percent, with the reduction 
     applied proportionately to each account (other than an 
     account listed in subsection (d) or an account for which a 
     waiver is made under subsection (e)).
       (3) Minimizes national security effects.--Consistent with 
     applicable laws, the Secretary of Defense may make any 
     reduction under paragraph (2) in a manner that minimizes any 
     effect on national security.
       (4) Deficit reduction.--An amount equal to the total amount 
     of any reduction under paragraph (2) shall be retained in the 
     general fund of the Treasury for the purposes of deficit 
     reduction.
       (d) Accounts Excluded.--The following accounts are excluded 
     from any reductions referred to in subsection (c)(2):
       (1) Military personnel, reserve personnel, and National 
     Guard personnel accounts of the Department of Defense.
       (2) The Defense Health Program account of the Department of 
     Defense.
       (e) Waiver.--The President may waive subsection (c)(2) with 
     respect to an account if the President certifies that 
     applying the subsection to that account would harm national 
     security or members of the Armed Forces who are deployed in 
     combat zones.
       (f) Report.--Not later than 60 days after an adjustment 
     under subsection (c), the Director of the Office of 
     Management and Budget shall submit to Congress a report 
     describing the amount and account of each adjustment.


           Amendment No. 143 Offered by Mr. Wenstrup of Ohio

       At the appropriate place in subtitle C of title VII, insert 
     the following:

     SEC. 7__. STUDY ON BLOOD WORK OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES 
                   REGARDING COVID-19.

       (a) Study Required.--Not later than September 30, 2025, the 
     Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study to test the blood 
     of members of the Armed Forces relating to relating to COVID-
     19.
       (b) Elements.--The study under this section shall include 
     the following elements:
       (1) Testing to detect nucleocapsid protein immunoglobin-G 
     antibodies relating to COVID-19.
       (2) Testing to detect T-cell immune response to COVID-19.
       (3) An assessment of the efficacy of each vaccine for 
     COVID-19 in comparison to--
       (A) each other such vaccine; and
       (B) infection-acquired immunity.
       (4) An accounting of adverse events (including hyperimmune 
     response), disaggregated by--
       (A) each vaccine described in paragraph (3); and
       (B) history of infection.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after completing the 
     study, the Secretary shall submit a report on such study to 
     the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of 
     Representatives.


           Amendment No. 144 Offered by Mr. Biggs of Arizona

       Add at the end of subtitle B of title XII the following:

[[Page H4021]]

  


     SEC. 1214. REPORT ON AGREEMENTS MADE BY THE UNITED STATES 
                   WITH THE TALIBAN.

       (a) Congressional Review of Agreements Made With the 
     Taliban.--The Secretary of State, in coordination with the 
     Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of the United 
     States Agency for International Development, shall submit to 
     the appropriate congressional committees the following:
       (1) Any agreement made and entered into by the United 
     States and the Taliban. Submission thereof shall occur not 
     later than 30 days prior to entry absent notification to the 
     appropriate congressional committees, in which case 
     submission thereof shall occur not later than 10 days prior 
     to taking effect.
       (2) Any agreement made and entered into by third parties 
     and the Taliban or notice of any such agreement. Submission 
     of any such agreement or notice thereof shall occur not later 
     than 30 days after custody by the United States.
       (b) Report on Prior Agreements With the Taliban.--Not later 
     than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of 
     Defense and the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
     International Development, shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees any agreements made and entered into 
     by the United States or third parties and the Taliban from 
     August 1, 2021, until such date of enactment.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Agreement.--The term ``agreement'' includes memoranda 
     of understanding and other manifestations of mutual assent.
       (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the 
     congressional defense committees, the Committee on Foreign 
     Affairs of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations of the Senate.
       (3) Third parties.--The term ``third parties'' means 
     organizations or entities in receipt of United States 
     Government funding, including sub-recipients thereof.


          Amendment No. 145 Offered by Mr. Ogles of Tennessee

       Page 599, line 15, insert ``classified or'' before 
     ``unclassified''.


        Amendment No. 146 Offered by Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia

       At the end of subtitle D of title I, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 1__. REQUIREMENT FOR MINIMUM NUMBER OF AIR LOGISTICS 
                   COMPLEXES.

       Section 9062 of title 10, United States Code, as amended by 
     section 154(a)(3) of this Act, is further amended by adding 
     at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(m) The Secretary of the Air Force shall continuously 
     operate not fewer than three air logistics complexes. For 
     purposes of this subsection, the term `air logistics complex' 
     means an air logistics complex operated by the Air Force as 
     of January 1, 2024.''.


       Amendment No. 147 Offered by Mr. Norman of South Carolina

       At the end of subtitle B of title II, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 2__. DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONS PERFORMING 
                   RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS FOR THE 
                   DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

       (a) Research and Development Projects.--Section 4001 of 
     title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
     the following new subsection:
       ``(e) Disclosure Requirements.--Whenever issuing a 
     statement, press release, request for proposals, bid 
     solicitation, or other document describing a project or 
     program that is funded in whole or in part with Federal 
     funding, a person performing a research or development 
     project under paragraph (1) or (5) of subsection (b) shall 
     clearly state the following:
       ``(1) The percentage of the total costs of the program or 
     project financed with Federal funding.
       ``(2) The dollar amount of Federal funds obligated for the 
     project or program.
       ``(3) The percentage and dollar amount of the total costs 
     of the project or program that will be financed from 
     nongovernmental sources.''.
       (b) Cooperative Research and Development Agreements Under 
     Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980.--Section 
     4026 of such title is amended--
       (1) by striking ``The Secretary of Defense'' and inserting 
     the following:
       ``(a) Authority.--The Secretary of Defense'';
       (2) in subsection (a), as designated by paragraph (1), in 
     the second sentence, by striking ``Technology may'' and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(b) Technology Transfer.--Technology may''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(c) Disclosure Requirements.--Whenever issuing a 
     statement, press release, request for proposals, bid 
     solicitation, or other document describing a project or 
     program that is funded in whole or in part with Federal 
     funding, a person performing a research or development 
     project pursuant to a cooperative research and development 
     agreement entered into under subsection (a) shall clearly 
     state the following:
       ``(1) The percentage of the total costs of the program or 
     project financed with Federal funding.
       ``(2) The dollar amount of Federal funds obligated for the 
     project or program.
       ``(3) The percentage and dollar amount of the total costs 
     of the project or program that will be financed from 
     nongovernmental sources.''.
       (c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the Secretary of Defense should direct the operating 
     divisions of the Department of Defense to design and 
     implement processes to manage and administer grantees' 
     compliance with the requirements added by this section, 
     including determining to what extent to provide guidance to 
     grantees on calculations.


       amendment no. 148 offered by mr. norman of south carolina

       At the end of subtitle I of title V, insert the following:

     SEC. 5__. AUTHORIZATION FOR AWARD OF MEDAL OF HONOR TO JAMES 
                   CAPERS, JR. FOR ACTS OF VALOR AS A MEMBER OF 
                   THE MARINE CORPS DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.

       (a) Authorization.--Notwithstanding the time limitations 
     specified in sections 8298(a) and 8300 of title 10, United 
     States Code, or any other time limitation with respect to the 
     awarding of certain medals to persons who served in the Armed 
     Forces, the President is authorized to award the Medal of 
     Honor, under section 8291 of such title, to James Capers, Jr. 
     for the acts of valor described in subsection (b).
       (b) Acts of Valor Described.--The acts of valor described 
     in this subsection are the actions of James Capers, Jr., as a 
     member of the Marine Corps, during the period of March 31 
     through April 3, 1967, during the Vietnam War, for which he 
     was previously awarded the Silver Star.


          amendment no. 149 offered by mr. aderholt of alabama

       At the end of subtitle A of title VIII, insert the 
     following new section:

     SEC. 8__. UPDATED GUIDANCE ON PLANNING FOR GLOBAL DEMAND.

       (a) Program Guidance on Planning for Global Demand.--Not 
     later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
     Sustainment shall ensure that the program guidance for major 
     defense acquisition programs (as defined in section 4201 of 
     title 10, United States Code), and for acquisition programs 
     and projects that are carried out using the rapid fielding or 
     rapid prototyping acquisition pathway under section 804 of 
     the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 
     (Public Law 114-92; 10 U.S.C. 3201 note prec.) is revised to 
     integrate planning for global demand under foreign military 
     sales, direct commercial sales, and other relevant transfer 
     authorities to capture and plan for international demand 
     under section 25 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 
     2765), including--
       (1) for major defense acquisition programs, an assessment 
     of such programs to identify global demand; and
       (2) for technologies under an acquisition program or 
     project carried out using the rapid fielding or rapid 
     prototyping acquisition pathway that are transitioned to a 
     major capability acquisition program, an assessment of 
     potential global demand needs of such technologies not later 
     than one year after the date of such transition.
       (b) Assessment of Global Demand.--The Under Secretary shall 
     consult with the heads of relevant Federal agencies and 
     existing databases, including any databases administered by 
     the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls of the Department 
     of State, to issue the guidance required under subsection 
     (a).
       (c) Revision of Guidance for Program Protection Plans.--Not 
     later than three years after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Under Secretary shall revise the guidance for 
     program protection plans to integrate a requirement to 
     determine global demand for the programs covered by such 
     plans.


        amendment no. 150 offered by mr. pascrell of new jersey

       At the end of subtitle B of title VII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 7__. STUDY ON LIFTING OUTPATIENT REHABILITATION THERAPY 
                   MAXIMUMS.

       (a) Study.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study 
     to analyze the feasibility of lifting outpatient 
     rehabilitation therapy maximums for active-duty members of 
     covered armed forces who are TRICARE beneficiaries and have 
     suffered a brain injury in the course of performing active 
     duty. The study shall also examine a range of therapy 
     services such as restorative therapies and therapies intended 
     to improve cognitive and functional capabilities.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
     to the Congress a report setting forth the findings and 
     conclusions of the study conducted pursuant to subsection 
     (a).
       (c) Covered Armed Forces Defined.--In this section, the 
     term ``covered Armed Forces'' means the Army, Navy, Marine 
     Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.


        amendment no. 151 offered by mr. pascrell of new jersey

       At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 7__. REPORT ON APPROVING CERTAIN TRANSITIONAL AND 
                   RESIDENTIAL BRAIN INJURY TREATMENT PROGRAMS.

       (a) Study.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study 
     to analyze the feasibility of recognizing transitional and 
     residential

[[Page H4022]]

     brain injury treatment programs that are approved by non-
     governmental accreditation bodies solely to provide services 
     to members of covered Armed Forces who sustained a brain 
     injury in the course of performing active duty.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
     to Congress a report setting forth the findings and 
     conclusions of the study conducted pursuant to subsection 
     (a).
       (c) Covered Armed Forces Defined.--In this section, the 
     term ``covered Armed Forces'' means the Army, Navy, Marine 
     Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.


         amendment no. 152 offered by ms. porter of california

       Add at the end of subtitle B of title XVII the following:

     SEC. 17___. GAO REPORT ON SETTLEMENTS IN MEDICAL MALPRACTICE 
                   CLAIMS BY MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES.

       The Comptroller General of the United States shall submit 
     to Congress a report on the rates at which Department of 
     Defense awards settlements in medical malpractice claims by 
     members of the uniformed services under part 45 of title 32, 
     Code of Federal Regulations, including--
       (1) a comparison of such rates to the rates at which 
     settlements are awarded in similar civilian medical 
     malpractice claims;
       (2) recommendations for improvements to the system for 
     medical malpractice claims by members of the uniformed 
     services.


        amendment no. 153 offered by mr. pascrell of new jersey

       At the end of subtitle B of title VII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 7__. TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY OVERSIGHT STRATEGY AND 
                   ACTION PLAN.

       (a) Strategy and Plan Required.--The Secretary of Defense 
     shall develop and implement a Traumatic Brain Injury 
     Oversight Strategy and Action Plan that includes at a minimum 
     the following:
       (1) Standardized monitoring, treatment, and referral 
     guidelines for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) programs across 
     all covered armed forces.
       (2) A review and update of the current brain injury 
     diagnostic tools used by such programs.
       (3) Standardized, 72-hour follow-up requirements for all 
     TBI patients, including protocols for the treatment and 
     observation during such follow-up appointments.
       (4) Oversight and documentation standards to aid in 
     identification, treatment, tracking, and data collection.
       (b) Implementation Timeline.--The oversight strategy and 
     action plan required by subsection (a) shall be completed and 
     in use not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
     of this Act.
       (c) Comptroller General Report.--Not later than 1 year 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
     General of the United States shall submit to Congress a 
     report setting forth the findings and conclusions of a full 
     review and update on the implementation of the Brain Injury 
     Oversight Strategy and Action Plan required by subsection 
     (a).
       (d) Covered Armed Forces Defined.--In this section, the 
     term ``covered Armed Forces'' means the Army, Navy, Marine 
     Corps, Air Force, and Space Force.


       amendment no. 154 offered by mr. norman of south carolina

       At the end of subtitle C of title X, insert the following:

     SEC. 10__. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NAMING OF NAVAL VESSEL 
                   AFTER MAJOR JAMES CAPERS, JR..

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the Secretary of the Navy should name a vessel of the United 
     States Navy the ``U.S.S. Major James Capers Jr.'' in honor of 
     Major James Capers, Jr., for the acts of valor described in 
     subsection (b).
       (b) Acts of Valor Described.--The acts of valor described 
     in this subsection are the actions of James Capers, Jr., as a 
     member of the Marine Corps, during the period of March 31 
     through April 3, 1967, during the Vietnam War, for which he 
     was previously awarded the Silver Star.


        amendment no. 155 offered by mrs. rodgers of washington

       At the end of subtitle J of title V, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 5__. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING MILITARY SERVICE BY 
                   INDIVIDUALS WITH AMPUTATIONS.

       It is the sense of Congress that increasing geopolitical 
     threats, combined with recruitment challenges experienced by 
     the Armed Forces, are a threat to the national security 
     interests of the United States, therefore, the Secretary of 
     Defense should issue medical waivers to an individual seeking 
     to serve in the Armed Forces who is precluded from serving 
     solely because of a non-service-connected amputation.


        Amendment No. 156 Offered by Mrs. Rodgers of Washington

       At the end of subtitle A of title VI, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 6__. ELIMINATION OF CAP ON ADDITIONAL RETIRED PAY FOR 
                   EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMY 
                   AND AIR FORCE WHO SERVED DURING THE VIETNAM 
                   ERA.

       Title 10, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in section 1402(f)(2), by striking ``The amount'' and 
     inserting ``Except in the case of a member who served during 
     the Vietnam Era (as that term is defined in section 12731 of 
     this title), the amount'';
       (2) in section 7361(a)(2), by inserting ``(except in the 
     case of a member who served during the Vietnam Era, as that 
     term is defined in section 12731 of this title)'' after 
     ``based''; and
       (3) in section 9361(a)(2), by inserting ``(except in the 
     case of a member who served during the Vietnam Era, as that 
     term is defined in section 12731 of this title)'' after 
     ``based''.


            Amendment No. 157 Offered by Mr. Curtis of Utah

       At the end of subtitle B of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 12_. MODIFICATION OF REPORT ON THE MILITARY CAPABILITIES 
                   OF IRAN AND RELATED ACTIVITIES.

       Section 1227 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2022 (Public Law 117-81) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) in subparagraph (A)--

       (I) by inserting ``all branches of'' before ``the Islamic 
     Revolutionary Guard Corps''; and
       (II) by inserting ``including'' before ``the Quds Force''; 
     and

       (ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``, and technologies 
     as described in the Missile Technology Control Regime'' 
     before ``, including''; and
       (B) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) in subparagraph (A), by adding at the end before the 
     period the following: ``, and on the proliferation, 
     procurement, and production networks of Iran's drone 
     program'';
       (ii) in subparagraph (F), by adding at the end before the 
     period the following: ``, and the effect of its expiration on 
     these Iranian proliferation activities'';
       (iii) in subparagraph (H)--

       (I) in clause (ii), by inserting ``, and any of their 
     precursors,'' after ``narcotics'';
       (II) in clause (iv), by inserting ``and the Ministry of 
     Intelligence and Security (MOIS)'' after ``IRGC''; and
       (III) in clause (v), by adding at the end before the period 
     the following: ``and MOIS''; and

       (iv) in subparagraph (I)--

       (I) by inserting ``and MOIS agents'' after ``operatives''; 
     and
       (II) by adding at the end before the period the following: 
     ``, including disinformation operations, recruitment of local 
     assets, and targeting United States nationals and foreign 
     dissidents''; and

       (2) in subsection (c)--
       (A) by inserting ``and annually thereafter for a period not 
     to exceed 4 years'' after ``2024''; and
       (B) by striking ``in June 2022'' inserting ``on the day 
     after the previous report was submitted''.


         Amendment No. 158 Offered by Mr. Higgins of Louisiana

       Add at the end of subtitle A of title VIII the following:

     SEC. 8__. PROHIBITION ON CONTRACTING WITH SHIPYARDS 
                   CONTROLLED BY A FOREIGN ADVERSARY.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense may not enter 
     into any contract or other agreement with a shipyard 
     controlled by a foreign adversary.
       (b) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``controlled by a foreign adversary'' means, 
     with respect to a shipyard, that such shipyard is--
       (A) a foreign person that is domiciled in, is headquartered 
     in, has its principal place of business in, or is organized 
     under the laws of a foreign adversary country;
       (B) an entity with respect to which a foreign person or 
     combination of foreign persons described in subparagraph (A) 
     directly or indirectly own at least a 20 percent stake; or
       (C) a person subject to the direction or control of a 
     foreign person or entity described in subparagraph (A) or 
     (B).
       (2) The term ``foreign adversary country'' means a country 
     specified in section 4872(d)(2) of title 10, United States 
     Code.


          Amendment No. 159 Offered by Mr. Casten of Illinois

       At the end of subtitle C of title VII, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 7__. STUDY AND REPORT ON MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR PILOTS 
                   AND AVIATORS.

       (a) Study.--The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
     Health and Human Services shall collaborate on a study on the 
     barriers to mental health care for military pilots, aviators, 
     and military air traffic controllers. The study shall include 
     the development of a set of recommendations to ensure that 
     pilots and aviators who need mental health care have--
       (1) no more barriers to care;
       (2) no more consequences for seeking care; and
       (3) no less scientifically-robust bases for being treated 
     and re-cleared for duty than pilots and aviators who need 
     physical health care.
       (b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services shall jointly submit 
     to Congress a report that contains the results of the study 
     required under subsection (a).


     Amendment No. 160 Offered by Mrs. Radewagen of American Samoa

       At the end of subtitle B of title V, add the following:

[[Page H4023]]

  


     SEC. 5__. FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A UNIT OF THE NATIONAL 
                   GUARD IN AMERICAN SAMOA AND IN THE COMMONWEALTH 
                   OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS.

       (a) Determination Required.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
     determine the feasibility of establishing--
       (1) a unit of the National Guard in American Samoa; and
       (2) a unit of the National Guard in the Commonwealth of the 
     Northern Mariana Islands.
       (b) Force Structure Elements.--In making the feasibility 
     determination under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense 
     shall consider the following:
       (1) The allocation of National Guard force structure and 
     manpower to American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the 
     Northern Mariana Islands in the event of the establishment of 
     a unit of the National Guard in American Samoa and in the 
     Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the impact 
     of this allocation on existing National Guard units in the 50 
     States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, 
     Guam, and the District of Columbia.
       (2) The Federal funding that would be required to support 
     pay, benefits, training operations, and missions of members 
     of a unit of the National Guard in American Samoa and the 
     Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, based on the 
     allocation derived from paragraph (1), and the equipment, 
     including maintenance, required to support such force 
     structure.
       (3) The presence of existing infrastructure to support a 
     unit of the National Guard in American Samoa and the 
     Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the 
     requirement for additional infrastructure, including 
     information technology infrastructure, to support such force 
     structure, based on the allocation derived from paragraph 
     (1).
       (4) How a unit of the National Guard in American Samoa and 
     the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Island would 
     accommodate the National Guard Bureau's ``Essential Ten'' 
     homeland defense capabilities (i.e., aviation, engineering, 
     civil support teams, security, medical, transportation, 
     maintenance, logistics, joint force headquarters, and 
     communications) and reflect regional needs.
       (5) The manpower cadre, both military personnel and 
     fulltime support, including National Guard technicians, 
     required to establish, maintain, and sustain a unit of the 
     National Guard in American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the 
     Northern Mariana Islands, and the ability of American Samoa 
     and of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to 
     support demographically a unit of the National Guard at each 
     location.
       (6) The ability of a unit of the National Guard in American 
     Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to 
     maintain unit readiness and the logistical challenges 
     associated with transportation, communications, supply/ 
     resupply, and training operations and missions.
       (c) Submission of Conclusion.--Not later than 180 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Defense shall notify the congressional defense committees of 
     the results of the feasibility determination made under 
     subsection (a). If the Secretary determines that 
     establishment of a unit of the National Guard in American 
     Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (or 
     both) is feasible, the Secretary shall include in the 
     notification the following:
       (1) A determination of whether the executive branch of 
     American Samoa and of the Commonwealth of the Northern 
     Mariana Islands has enacted and implemented statutory 
     authorization for an organized militia as a prerequisite for 
     establishing a unit of the National Guard, and a description 
     of any other steps that such executive branches must take to 
     request and carry out the establishment of a National Guard 
     unit.
       (2) A list of any amendments to titles 10, 32, and 37, 
     United States Code, that would have to be enacted by Congress 
     to provide for the establishment of a unit of the National 
     Guard in American Samoa and in the Commonwealth of the 
     Northern Mariana Islands.
       (3) A description of any required Department of Defense 
     actions to establish a unit of the National Guard in American 
     Samoa and in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
     Islands.
       (4) A suggested timeline for completion of the steps and 
     actions described in the preceding paragraphs.


           amendment no. 161 offered by mr. davis of illinois

       At the end of subtitle D of title VI, add the following:

     SEC. 6__. ADOPTION OR GUARDIANSHIP ASSISTANCE FOR MEMBERS OF 
                   THE ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS.

       Section 1052 of title 10, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``qualifying adoption expenses'' each place 
     it appears and inserting ``qualifying expenses'';
       (2) by striking the section heading and inserting 
     ``Adoption or guardianship expenses'';
       (3) in subsection (a)--
       (A) in the heading, by striking ``to Reimburse'';
       (B) by striking ``carry out a program under which a member 
     of the armed forces may be reimbursed'' and inserting 
     ``pay''; and
       (C) by striking ``adoption of a child'' and inserting 
     ``adoption or guardianship of a child'';
       (4) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in the heading, by inserting ``and Guardianships'' 
     after ``Adoptions'';
       (B) by striking ``adoption'' each place it appears and 
     inserting ``adoption or guardianship''; and
       (C) by striking ``reimbursed'' and inserting ``paid'';
       (5) in subsection (d), by striking ``adoption benefits'' 
     and inserting ``adoption or guardianship'';
       (6) in subsection (e)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) by striking ``$2,000'' and inserting ``$5,000''; and
       (ii) by striking ``adoption of a child'' and inserting 
     ``adoption or guardianship of a child''; and
       (B) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) by striking ``$5,000'' and inserting ``$10,000''; and
       (ii) by striking ``adoptions'' and inserting ``adoptions or 
     guardianships'';
       (7) in subsection (g)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``adoption'' each place 
     it appears and inserting ``adoption or guardianship'';
       (B) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``adoption'' each 
     place it appears and inserting ``adoption or guardianship'';
       (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``adoption'' each place 
     it appears and inserting ``adoption or guardianship''; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(4) The term `guardianship' means a legal guardianship, 
     as such term is defined in section 475 of the Social Security 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 675).''; and
       (8) by striking subsection (c) and redesignating 
     subsections (d), (e), (f), and (g) as subsections (c), (d), 
     (e), and (f), respectively.


        amendment no. 162 offered by mr. pascrell of new jersey

       At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following:

     SEC. 7__. STUDY ON TOOLS TO DIAGNOSE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY 
                   IN MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

       (a) Study Required; Elements.--The Secretary of Defense 
     shall conduct a study of commercially available diagnostic 
     tools that screen for traumatic brain injury (in this section 
     referred to as ``TBI'') and may be used by forward-deployed 
     units and in combat zones. Such study shall include the 
     following elements:
       (1) Whether such tools can distinguish mild traumatic brain 
     injury from moderate or severe TBI.
       (2) How such tools could be used with other approved 
     diagnostics (including neuroimaging biomarkers used in 
     computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, blood-
     based biomarkers, electrophysiological biomarkers, oculomotor 
     tracking systems, and integrated measures of physiological 
     deficits), to enhance the health, survival, and long-term 
     conditions of members and former members of the Armed Forces.
       (3) How such tools would improve military readiness and 
     address concerns regarding the growing medical burden of TBI.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
     to the congressional defense committees a report containing 
     the following:
       (1) The results of the study.
       (2) Determinations of the Secretary regarding whether to 
     procure and use such tools in addition to other tools already 
     used in the Department of Defense to screen for TBI.
       (3) Recommendations of the Secretary regarding legislation 
     that may by necessary to action regarding such tools.


         amendment no. 163 offered by mr. stauber of minnesota

       At the end of subtitle C of title II, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 2__. FUNDING FOR DEMONSTRATION OF HIGH-PRESSURE WATERJET 
                   CUT AND CAPTURE SYSTEM TO DEMILITARIZE 
                   UNDERWATER MUNITIONS.

       (a) Increase.--Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the 
     funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be 
     appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test 
     and evaluation, Army, as specified in the corresponding 
     funding table in section 4201, for advanced component 
     development and prototypes, environmental quality 
     technology--DEM/VAL, line 060 (PE 0603779A) is hereby 
     increased by $5,000,000 (to be available for the 
     demonstration of high-pressure waterjet cut and capture 
     system to demilitarize underwater munitions).
       (b) Offset.--Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the 
     funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be 
     appropriated in section 201 for research, development, test 
     and evaluation, Defense-wide, as specified in the 
     corresponding funding table in section 4201, for basic 
     research, defense research sciences, line 002 (PE 0601101E) 
     is hereby reduced by $5,000,000.


         amendment no. 164 offered by ms. porter of california

       At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following:

     SEC. 7___. STUDY ON USE OF ROUTINE NEUROIMAGING MODALITIES IN 
                   DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND PREVENTION OF BRAIN 
                   INJURY DUE TO BLAST PRESSURE EXPOSURE DURING 
                   COMBAT AND TRAINING.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a 
     study on the feasibility and effectiveness of the use of 
     routine

[[Page H4024]]

     neuroimaging modalities in the diagnosis, treatment, and 
     prevention of brain injury among members of the Armed Forces 
     due to one or more blast pressure exposures during combat and 
     training.
       (b) Reports.--
       (1) Interim report.--Not later than one year after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
     the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House 
     of Representatives an interim report on the methods and 
     action plan for the study under subsection (a).
       (2) Final report.--Not later than two years after the date 
     on which the Secretary begins the study under subsection (a), 
     the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
     Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
     report on the results of such study.


          AMENDMENT NO. 165 OFFERED BY MR. ALFORD OF MISSOURI

       At the end of subtitle F of title VIII, insert the 
     following new section:

     SEC. 8__. MODIFICATION TO INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT SMALL 
                   BUSINESSES IN THE NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND 
                   INDUSTRIAL BASE.

       Section 861 of William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (10 U.S.C. 4901 note; 
     Public Law 116-283; 134 Stat. 3775) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)--
       (A) in paragraph (1)--
       (i) by inserting ``the Secretary of Defense'' before 
     ``shall update''; and
       (ii) by inserting ``, the Committee on Small Business of 
     the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Small 
     Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate'' after 
     ``congressional defense committees''; and
       (B) in paragraph (2)(A)--
       (i) by striking ``biennially'' and inserting ``annually''; 
     and
       (ii) by inserting ``, the Committee on Small Business of 
     the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Small 
     Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate'' after 
     ``congressional defense committees''; and
       (2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following 
     new paragraphs:
       ``(3) Annual report.--Not later than October 1, 2025, and 
     annually thereafter, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
     Industrial Base Policy shall submit to the congressional 
     defense committees, the Committee on Small Business of the 
     House of Representatives, and the Committee on Small Business 
     and Entrepreneurship of the Senate a report that includes the 
     following for the year covered by the report:
       ``(A) A description of activities undertaken pursuant to 
     this section.
       ``(B) An analysis of effect on the participation of small 
     businesses in Department of Defense contracts as a result of 
     implementation of the small business strategy required under 
     section 4901 of title 10, United States Code.
       ``(C) A description of efforts by the Secretary of Defense 
     to increase participation of small businesses in Department 
     of Defense contracts through the small business strategy.
       ``(4) Small business strategy report.--Beginning with the 
     report due October 1, 2029, and every four years thereafter, 
     the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy 
     shall submit to the congressional defense committees, the 
     Committee on Small Business of the House of Representatives, 
     and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of 
     the Senate a report on overall efficacy of the small business 
     strategy required under such section 4901, including trends 
     and data analysis for the period covered by the report 
     relating to implementation and outcomes of the strategy.''.


         AMENDMENT NO. 166 OFFERED BY MR. GROTHMAN OF WISCONSIN

       At the end of title XI, insert the following new section:

     SEC. 11__. EXPAND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CIVILIAN EMPLOYMENT.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 5 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Defense shall 
     ensure that, to the extent practicable, each commercial 
     position in the Department of Defense or an element of the 
     Department is--
       (1) filled by a civilian employee of the Department; or
       (2) performed by a contractor of the Department.
       (b) Commercial Position Defined.--In this section, the term 
     ``commercial position'' means a position the functions of 
     which are determined by the Department of Defense to be 
     commercial pursuant to Department of Defense Instruction 
     1100.22 (or any successor instruction).


         AMENDMENT NO. 167 OFFERED BY MS. PORTER OF CALIFORNIA

       At the end of subtitle G of title VIII, add the following:

     SEC. 8__. IMPLEMENTATION OF GAO RECOMMENDATIONS RELATING TO 
                   SPARE PARTS IN GLOBAL SPARES POOL RELATING TO 
                   F-35 PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense, acting through 
     the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
     Sustainment, shall take such actions as may be necessary to 
     implement the recommendations of the Comptroller General of 
     the United States contained in the report entitled, ``F-35 
     Program: DOD Needs Better Accountability for Global Spare 
     Parts and Reporting of Losses Worth Millions''.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to 
     Congress on the progress of the implementation required by 
     subsection (a).


           AMENDMENT NO. 168 OFFERED BY MR. CARTER OF GEORGIA

       At the end of subtitle E of title X, insert the following:

     SEC. 10__. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO CUT SERVICES 
                   PROVIDED AT CERTAIN COMBAT TRAINING READINESS 
                   CENTERS.

       None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act 
     or otherwise made available for the Department of Defense for 
     fiscal year 2025 may be used to cut any service provided by a 
     combat training readiness center operated by the Air Force 
     National Guard at any of the following locations:
       (1) Savannah, Georgia.
       (2) Gulfport, Mississippi.
       (3) Alpena, Michigan.
       (4) Volk Field, Wisconsin.


            AMENDMENT NO. 169 OFFERED BY MR. MAST OF FLORIDA

       At the appropriate place in title VII, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 7__. CLARIFICATION OF RESPONSIBILITIES REGARDING THE 
                   INTEGRATED DISABILITY EVALUATION SYSTEM.

       (a) Clarification.--Subsection (h) of section 1073c of 
     title 10, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in the heading, by striking ``Secretaries Concerned and 
     Medical Evaluation Boards'' and inserting ``Authority Over 
     Members'';
       (2) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``Nothing''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
       ``(2) Notwithstanding the responsibilities and authorities 
     of the Defense Health Agency with respect to the 
     administration of military medical treatment facilities as 
     set forth in this section (including medical evaluations of 
     members of the armed forces under the jurisdiction of the 
     military department concerned), the Secretary of each 
     military department shall maintain personnel authority over, 
     and responsibility for, any member of the armed forces under 
     the jurisdiction of the military department concerned while 
     the member is being considered by a medical evaluation board 
     or is otherwise subject to the integrated disability 
     evaluation system. Such responsibility shall include the 
     following:
       ``(A) Responsibility for administering the morale and 
     welfare of the member.
       ``(B) Responsibility for determinations of fitness for duty 
     of the member under chapter 61 of this title.
       ``(3) Notwithstanding the responsibilities and authorities 
     of the Defense Health Agency with respect to the 
     administration of the integrated disability evaluation 
     system, a commander shall, at all times, maintain absolute 
     responsibility for, and authority over, a member of the armed 
     forces referred to the integrated disability evaluation 
     system. Such responsibility and authority include the 
     following:
       ``(A) The authority to pause any process of the integrated 
     disability evaluation system regarding the member.
       ``(B) The authority to withdraw the member from the 
     integrated disability evaluation system if the commander 
     determines that any policy, procedure, regulation, or other 
     guidance has not been followed in the member's case.
       ``(4) Pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary 
     of Defense, a member referred to the integrated disability 
     evaluation system may file an appeal of such referral with 
     the Secretary of the military department concerned. Such an 
     appeal--
       ``(A) shall be in addition to any appeals process 
     established as part of the integrated disability evaluation 
     system;
       ``(B) shall include a hearing before an officer who may 
     convene a general court-martial and who is in the chain of 
     command of the member; and
       ``(C) shall be adjudicated not later than 90 days after 
     such filing.''.
       (b) Regulations.--The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe 
     regulations to carry out paragraphs (2) through (4) of such 
     subsection, as added by this section, not later than 90 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (c) Briefing.--Not later than February 1, 2025, the 
     Secretary of Defense shall provide to the Committees on Armed 
     Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a 
     briefing on the implementation of such paragraphs.


          Amendment No. 170 Offered by Mr. Stanton of Arizona

       At the end of subtitle D of title VIII, insert the 
     following new section:

     SEC. 8__. STUDY ON USE OF OFF-THE-SHELF INFORMATION 
                   TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS FROM FOREIGN ADVERSARY 
                   COUNTRIES.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall carry out a 
     study on the use by the Department of Defense of off-the-
     shelf information technology products that were manufactured, 
     produced, or assembled by a covered company, including goods 
     used by the Department that contain such an off-the-shelf 
     information technology product.
       (b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this section, the Secretary of Defense shall 
     submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
     the House of Representatives a report on the findings of the 
     study required by subsection (a).

[[Page H4025]]

       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``commercially available off-the-shelf item'' 
     has the meaning given such term in section 104 of title 41, 
     United States Code.
       (2) The term ``covered company'' means--
       (A) an entity that is organized under the laws of or 
     located in a foreign adversary country;
       (B) a parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of an entity 
     described in subparagraph (A); and
       (C) an entity otherwise directly or indirectly owned by or 
     subject to the control of an entity described in subparagraph 
     (A) or (B), as determined by the Secretary of Defense.
       (3) The term ``foreign adversary country'' has the meaning 
     given the term ``covered nation'' in section 4872(d) of title 
     10, United States Code.
       (4) The term ``off-the-shelf information technology 
     product'' means a commercially available off-the-shelf item 
     that can process, store, or transmit digital data.


         Amendment No. 171 Offered by Mr. Schneider of Illinois

       At the end of subtitle F of title VIII, insert the 
     following new section:

     SEC. 8__. BOOTS TO BUSINESS PROGRAM.

       Section 32 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 657b) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(h) Boots to Business Program.--
       ``(1) Covered individual defined.--In this subsection, the 
     term `covered individual' means--
       ``(A) a member of the Armed Forces, including the National 
     Guard or Reserves;
       ``(B) an individual who is participating in the Transition 
     Assistance Program established under section 1144 of title 
     10, United States Code;
       ``(C) an individual who--
       ``(i) served on active duty in any branch of the Armed 
     Forces, including the National Guard or Reserves; and
       ``(ii) was discharged or released from such service under 
     conditions other than dishonorable; and
       ``(D) a spouse or dependent of an individual described in 
     subparagraph (A), (B), or (C).
       ``(2) Establishment.--During the period beginning on the 
     date of enactment of this subsection and ending on September 
     30, 2028, the Administrator shall carry out a program to be 
     known as the `Boots to Business Program' to provide 
     entrepreneurship training to covered individuals.
       ``(3) Goals.--The goals of the Boots to Business Program 
     are to--
       ``(A) provide assistance and in-depth training to covered 
     individuals interested in business ownership; and
       ``(B) provide covered individuals with the tools, skills, 
     and knowledge necessary to identify a business opportunity, 
     draft a business plan, identify sources of capital, connect 
     with local resources for small business concerns, and start 
     up a small business concern.
       ``(4) Program components.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Boots to Business Program may 
     include--
       ``(i) a presentation providing exposure to the 
     considerations involved in self-employment and ownership of a 
     small business concern;
       ``(ii) an online, self-study course focused on the basic 
     skills of entrepreneurship, the language of business, and the 
     considerations involved in self-employment and ownership of a 
     small business concern;
       ``(iii) an in-person classroom instruction component 
     providing an introduction to the foundations of self 
     employment and ownership of a small business concern; and
       ``(iv) in-depth training delivered through online 
     instruction, including an online course that leads to the 
     creation of a business plan.
       ``(B) Collaboration.--The Administrator may--
       ``(i) collaborate with public and private entities to 
     develop course curricula for the Boots to Business Program; 
     and
       ``(ii) modify program components in coordination with 
     entities participating in a Warriors in Transition program, 
     as defined in section 738(e) of the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (10 U.S.C. 1071 note).
       ``(C) Use of resource partners and district offices.--
       ``(i) In general.--The Administrator shall--

       ``(I) ensure that Veteran Business Outreach Centers 
     regularly participate, on a nationwide basis, in the Boots to 
     Business Program; and
       ``(II) to the maximum extent practicable, use district 
     offices of the Administration and a variety of other resource 
     partners and entities in administering the Boots to Business 
     Program.

       ``(ii) Grant authority.--In carrying out clause (i), the 
     Administrator may make grants, subject to the availability of 
     appropriations in advance, to Veteran Business Outreach 
     Centers, other resource partners, or other entities to carry 
     out components of the Boots to Business Program.
       ``(D) Availability to department of defense and the 
     department of labor.--The Administrator shall make available 
     to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Labor 
     information regarding the Boots to Business Program, 
     including all course materials and outreach materials related 
     to the Boots to Business Program, for inclusion on the 
     websites of the Department of Defense and the Department of 
     Labor relating to the Transition Assistance Program, in the 
     Transition Assistance Program manual, and in other relevant 
     materials available for distribution from the Secretary of 
     Defense and the Secretary of Labor.
       ``(E) Availability to department of veterans affairs.--In 
     consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the 
     Administrator shall make available for distribution and 
     display on the website of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
     and at local facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs 
     outreach materials regarding the Boots to Business Program, 
     which shall, at a minimum--
       ``(i) describe the Boots to Business Program and the 
     services provided; and
       ``(ii) include eligibility requirements for participating 
     in the Boots to Business Program.
       ``(F) Availability to other participating agencies.--The 
     Administrator shall ensure information regarding the Boots to 
     Business program, including all course materials and outreach 
     materials related to the Boots to Business Program, is made 
     available to other participating agencies in the Transition 
     Assistance Program and upon request of other agencies.
       ``(5) Competitive bidding procedures.--The Administration 
     shall use relevant competitive bidding procedures with 
     respect to any contract or cooperative agreement executed by 
     the Administration under the Boots to Business Program.
       ``(6) Publication of notice of funding opportunity.--Not 
     later than 30 days before the deadline for submitting 
     applications for any funding opportunity under the Boots to 
     Business Program, the Administration shall publish a notice 
     of the funding opportunity.
       ``(7) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this subsection, and not less frequently than 
     annually thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the 
     Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of 
     Representatives a report on the performance and effectiveness 
     of the Boots to Business Program, which--
       ``(A) may be included as part of another report submitted 
     to such committees by the Administrator related to the Office 
     of Veterans Business Development; and
       ``(B) shall summarize available information relating to--
       ``(i) grants awarded under paragraph (4)(C);
       ``(ii) the total cost of the Boots to Business Program;
       ``(iii) the number of program participants using each 
     component of the Boots to Business Program;
       ``(iv) the completion rates for each component of the Boots 
     to Business Program;
       ``(v) to the extent possible--

       ``(I) the demographics of program participants, to include 
     gender, age, race, ethnicity, and relationship to military;
       ``(II) the number of program participants that connect with 
     a district office of the Administration, a Veteran Business 
     Outreach Center, or another resource partner of the 
     Administration;
       ``(III) the number of program participants that start a 
     small business concern;
       ``(IV) the results of the Boots to Business and Boots to 
     Business Reboot course quality surveys conducted by the 
     Office of Veterans Business Development before and after 
     attending each of those courses, including a summary of any 
     comments received from program participants;
       ``(V) the results of the Boots to Business Program outcome 
     surveys conducted by the Office of Veterans Business 
     Development, including a summary of any comments received 
     from program participants; and
       ``(VI) the results of other germane participant 
     satisfaction surveys;

       ``(C) an evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the 
     Boots to Business Program based on each geographic region 
     covered by the Administration during the most recent fiscal 
     year;
       ``(D) an assessment of additional performance outcome 
     measures for the Boots to Business Program, as identified by 
     the Administrator;
       ``(E) any recommendations of the Administrator for 
     improvement of the Boots to Business Program, which may 
     include expansion of the types of individuals who are covered 
     individuals;
       ``(F) an explanation of how the Boots to Business Program 
     has been integrated with other transition programs and 
     related resources of the Administration and other Federal 
     agencies; and
       ``(G) any additional information the Administrator 
     determines necessary.''.

         amendment no. 172 offered by mr. larsen of washington

       At the end of subtitle H of title V, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 5__. INSTRUCTION IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE 
                   LEARNING IN SCHOOLS OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT 
                   OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense, acting through 
     the Director of the Department of Defense Education Activity, 
     shall require that each student of a high school operated by 
     the Activity receives instruction in artificial intelligence 
     and machine learning, including instruction in--
       (1) the foundational concepts of artificial intelligence 
     and machine learning;
       (2) definitions of artificial intelligence and machine 
     learning;

[[Page H4026]]

       (3) the responsible and ethical use of artificial 
     intelligence and machine learning applications; and
       (4) such other topics relating to artificial intelligence 
     and machine learning as the Secretary determines appropriate.
       (b) Form of Instruction.--The instruction required under 
     subsection (a) may be incorporated into one or more existing 
     courses taught at high schools operated by the Department of 
     Defense Education Activity.
       (c) Applicability.--The requirement to provide the 
     instruction described in subsection (a) shall apply beginning 
     with the first school year that begins after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (d) Definitions.--In this section, the term ``high school'' 
     has the meaning given that term in section 8101 of the 
     Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     7801).


          amendment no. 173 offered by ms. eshoo of california

       At the end of subtitle C of title X, insert the following:

     SEC. 10__. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NAMING A NAVAL VESSEL 
                   AFTER WILLIAM B. GOULD.

        It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of the Navy 
     should name a commissioned naval vessel after formerly 
     enslaved sailor and Civil War veteran, William B. Gould, to 
     honor his strength of character and faithful service to the 
     United States.


         amendment no. 174 offered by mr. larsen of washington

       At the end of subtitle C of title II, insert the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 2__. MODIFICATION TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE EDUCATION 
                   STRATEGY.

       Section 256 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116-92; 133 Stat. 1290) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(d) Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning 
     Education Platforms.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act 
     for Fiscal Year 2025, each Secretary of a military department 
     shall provide personnel in that Secretary's department with 
     distance education courses on--
       ``(A) the foundational concepts of artificial intelligence 
     and machine learning; and
       ``(B) the responsible and ethical use of artificial 
     intelligence and machine learning applications.
       ``(2) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
     submit to the congressional defense committees a report on 
     the progress of the Secretaries of the military departments 
     in implementing paragraph (1).''.


      amendment no. 175 offered by mr. cartwright of pennsylvania

       At the end of subtitle C of title III, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 3__. INVESTMENT PLAN FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DEPOTS 
                   AND INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the current state of Department of Defense depots and 
     industrial facilities is concerning;
       (2) charged with maintaining critical equipment and complex 
     weapons systems, these Government-owned, Government-operated 
     installations are vital to supporting military readiness and 
     conflict deterrence;
       (3) robust funding should be provided for sustained 
     facilities modernization; and
       (4) facilities and equipment modernization will cost 
     hundreds of billions and require sustained management 
     attention over many years.
       (b) Investment Plan.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in 
     coordination with the Secretary of each of the military 
     departments, shall submit to the congressional defense 
     committees an investment plan that includes detailed 
     information about the minimum annual investment in Department 
     of Defense depots and industrial facilities that is needed to 
     prevent further infrastructure deterioration. The minimum 
     investment level included in the plan shall reflect a 
     percentage of the 3-year rolling average of maintenance, 
     repair, and overhaul workload funded at all Department depots 
     and industrial facilities. Modernization efforts addressed in 
     the plan shall account for future technological demands, 
     labor needs, and threats to facility security including those 
     posed by extreme weather and natural disasters.


        amendment no. 176 offered by ms. kuster of new hampshire

       In subtitle J of title V, add at the end the following:

     SEC. 599C. REPORT ON NATIONAL GUARD SEXUAL ASSAULT AND 
                   RESPONSE PREVENTION TRAINING.

       The Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall submit a 
     report to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
     House of Representatives containing the number of national 
     guard members, aggregated by State, that received sexual 
     assault and response prevention training in the preceding 
     calendar year--
       (1) not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
     this Act; and
       (2) annually, beginning in 2026, by not later than March 30 
     of each year.
  The CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Rogers) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith) each 
will control 10 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alabama.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chair, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman 
from Ohio (Mr. Davidson).
  Mr. DAVIDSON. Mr. Chair, my amendment really should be called the 
define the mission act for Ukraine or the define the mission amendment.
  We voted on this last summer as part of the National Defense 
Authorization Act, and 129 of our colleagues agreed that the 
administration should define the mission.
  Before this, this might have been summarized as the Powell doctrine 
for years. Before we get into a war, we should decide what we are 
trying to achieve with the war. The administration has gotten by in 
Ukraine since the inception by saying as much as it takes, as long as 
it takes.
  We searched for that phrase and found it back in 2004 when the 
administration at that time decided that we were going to shift from 
going after the terrorists that bombed the United States on 9/11, or 
used airplanes to target our citizens, to rebuilding Afghanistan. The 
phrase they used was ``as much as it takes, as long as it takes.'' That 
was used to keep the mission going all the way until the Biden 
administration left in the most disastrous way possible by taking the 
military out first and leaving civilians behind and getting them out.
  That was on August 31, 2021. The very next day, on September 1, 2021, 
the Biden administration entered into a strategic partnership agreement 
with Ukraine to support their membership in the European Union and 
NATO. This led to an escalation, and the Biden administration, rather 
than using leverage to create a peaceful resolution and prevent a war 
in Ukraine, fostered that war.
  Nothing excuses Putin's invasion of Ukraine. The question is, what 
are we going to do about it? To this date, apparently, we are just 
going to keep cutting checks. For the American people, a lot of times 
people say of course, and what they really mean is to get the Russians 
out of Ukraine. Why not state that that is the objective? Why not state 
whether it is to get all the Russians out of Ukraine, including Crimea, 
or not?
  Mr. Chair, you have seen the State Department say variations on that. 
In fact, you have seen Under Secretary Nuland say that the actual 
mission is that we get war crimes tribunals for Vladimir Putin and 
regime change in Russia. Is that the mission?
  Recently, Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican, said that the mission 
is actually about rare earth minerals that Ukraine has. In that sense, 
if it is about minerals, does this really go back to when Yanukovych in 
November 2013 said that he is going to do a trade deal with Russia 
instead of a trade deal with the European Union?
  Shortly after that, there was a coup, a regime change, and an actual 
insurrection that resulted in a new government in Ukraine.
  None of this excuses what Vladimir Putin has done. We should be 
rightly rejecting what Putin has done in Ukraine.
  So far, the United States has spent more than $170 billion on the 
war, but we still haven't defined the mission. You can't really hold 
the administration accountable for success or, in this sense, 
potentially for failure.
  The reality is that if we keep cutting checks, Ukraine does not have 
the resources, the manpower, the skill to deploy all the weapons it 
will take to extract all the Russians from Ukraine. They just don't.

                              {time}  1545

  We want them to be able to do that, but we have also taken off the 
table a path to a peaceful resolution.
  In the spring of 2022, in the early days of the war, the Biden 
administration scuttled peace negotiations. Well, presumably, because 
they had a mission that they were actually trying to achieve in mind.
  I have sent questions to them. I finally got a response, and I wanted 
them to define what it is.
  They came up with something, finally, that says the United States' 
goal is an independent, democratic, and economically stable Ukraine, 
governed by

[[Page H4027]]

the rule of law and integrated into Euro-Atlantic institutions. That is 
an answer, but they could give us a classified answer.
  The point of this bill is to say: Tell us exactly what you are trying 
to do. That is not something you can have that you can hold 
accountable.
  In fact, I asked former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Milley this in 
the House Foreign Affairs Committee. I said: General, does this qualify 
as a mission statement in the military? He said: Absolutely not. You 
would want more precision on that.
  All I am asking is the same thing that our military already knows how 
to do: define the mission. Do it in a classified setting, by all means, 
but do it in a way where we can hold you accountable for the results.
  That is the point of amendment No. 38. I encourage all of our 
colleagues to support it. I thank the chairman and the committee for 
their support in this en bloc, and I thank the chairman for this time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield myself 3 minutes.
  Mr. Chair, there is so much completely wrong about what the gentleman 
just said about that amendment that it really needs to be corrected.
  First of all, just on the last point about what Chairman Milley had 
to say about this, the United States military is not fighting in 
Ukraine. We have not sent the United States military to accomplish a 
mission, and the specificity is an entirely different place.
  Second, there has been a clear mission from day one that the Biden 
administration has articulated on two points: Number one, preserve a 
sovereign, democratic Ukraine; number two, don't get into a war with 
Russia.
  They have said that from day one over and over and over again. I have 
heard people who don't want to support Ukraine continually generate 
this excuse: Oh, it is not clear. We don't know what we are doing 
there.
  We have known what we were doing there from day one. We are trying to 
stop Russia from destroying Ukraine. We could not possibly be more 
clear. That is what we are trying to do. The resources that we provided 
Ukraine have helped make that possible. Ukraine still exists as a 
sovereign, democratic country.
  There was also all throughout that speech all kinds of Russian 
propaganda that is untrue. Neither the United States nor any NATO 
allies blocked this mythical peace deal that existed in April 2022. 
Putin never agreed to any such peace deal and neither did Zelenskyy. We 
didn't block it. Our strategy in Ukraine is crystal clear: stop Russia 
from destroying it.
  Now, in an ideal world, we would like Russia completely out of all of 
Ukraine as it existed post-1991. That is not the stated goal or stated 
strategy.
  The stated goal and stated strategy are to preserve a sovereign, 
democratic Ukraine. I hope everybody on this floor recognizes, number 
one, that that is a really important goal. It is worth fighting for. To 
make sure that Russia can't simply destroy a sovereign, democratic 
nation because if they destroy one, they will be sorely tempted to 
destroy more, and Ukraine is worth preserving.
  Number two, for the 2-plus years we have been engaged in this, we 
have been pushing that strategy effectively against tall odds. We seem 
to have forgotten now that in the immediate days after the Russian 
invasion, the assumption of everyone was Ukraine was finished. They 
were gone. They were done. There was no way they could stand up to 
Russia. Yet for 2-plus years they have, and they are capable of 
continuing to do that if we don't back off on our support for them.
  Now, the amendment that is in the en bloc, I am not thrilled about. 
It asks for a strategy. My opinion is the strategy already exists, so 
that has been met. The administration is, once again, going to send up 
their strategy in the next couple of months, which will meet the 
requirements and concerns of this amendment and will stop us from 
cutting off our support for Ukraine.
  Please don't believe every piece of anti-American, anti-Ukraine, pro-
Russian propaganda that gets put out there about what is going on. It 
is really rather simple.
  The CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield myself an additional 30 
seconds.
  Mr. Chair, Putin wants Ukraine. He has said over and over again that 
Ukraine should not exist as a country, that it should be part of 
Russia. We are helping Ukraine stop him from doing that.
  At the end of the day, that is what is happening. It is not 
complicated, and we ought to support that effort.
  Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Casten).
  Mr. CASTEN. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment to 
require the Department of Defense and HHS to examine barriers to access 
for military pilots and air traffic controllers seeking mental health 
care.
  Today, when military and civilian aviators report that they have 
sought mental health care, they are faced with delays, confusion, and 
overbroad regulations in the process of returning to work.
  What that means practically is that even minor mental health concerns 
can derail careers for safe, well-trained pilots and air traffic 
controllers who just want to get better. That has created a culture of 
silence and has disincentivized aviators from seeking care and 
ultimately made our skies less safe.
  In May, the Air Force took a good first step forward by allowing 
these pilots and air traffic controllers to receive an extra 60 days of 
treatment without losing their wings. My bipartisan amendment builds on 
that to help destigmatize mental health care and ensure that those who 
seek care face no more consequence nor any less scientifically robust 
standards for being re-cleared for duty than they would if they were 
seeking physical healthcare.

  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting access for 
mental health care for pilots and protecting the health and readiness 
of our Armed Forces and keeping our skies safe.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chair, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Self), my friend and colleague.
  Mr. SELF. Mr. Chair, today, I rise in support of my amendment, which 
would name a Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport vessel after 
Lieutenant General Richard E. Carey, U.S. Marine Corps.
  During General Carey's 38-year military career, he served during 
World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He rose from enlisted man to 
lieutenant by the age of 20.
  Carey participated in the Inchon landing, captured communist forces, 
and led his rifle platoon to Seoul. Three months later at the infamous 
Chosin Reservoir, Carey and his fellow marines were outnumbered 8-1 but 
they held their ground and broke through the Chinese trap.
  While in Korea, Carey was badly wounded. Over his decorated career, 
General Carey became a pilot, flew 204 combat sorties, received 41 
medals, and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross.
  He later commanded the evacuation from Saigon, received promotion to 
lieutenant general, and was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this en bloc package to 
honor General Carey and his service to America.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield myself an additional 1 
minute.
  Mr. Chair, I forgot to mention one thing about the Ukraine amendment. 
The gentleman referenced a number of different people, including 
Senator Lindsey Graham and what he thought the strategy was. I will 
make sure that people understand that that is the thing about a 
democracy. We know what Russia's strategy is because Vladimir Putin 
doesn't let anybody else have an opinion.
  In the United States of America, we have got 535 Members of Congress. 
If you ask all 535 Members of Congress, I don't doubt that you would 
get a wide variety of different answers as to what our strategy is in 
Ukraine. Again, that is living in a democracy, where people are free to 
have their own opinions. If you ask the administration what our policy 
is, it has been consistent and clear: A sovereign, democratic Ukraine 
must be preserved and don't stumble into a war with Russia.
  It is not an easy policy to implement, but they have successfully 
done it for 2-plus years now. That is clear. Don't be confused by a 
whole bunch of other

[[Page H4028]]

opinions from independent contractors who absolutely have a right to 
their opinion about what the strategy ought to be, but that is 
different than what the strategy is.
  Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. 
Tlaib).
  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Chair, I thank my good colleague for yielding.
  Mr. Chair, my colleagues are about to ram through yet another record-
breaking military budget, nearly a trillion dollars, packed with 
bullets, bombs, and giveaways to defense contractors. They also had 
time to sprinkle in some antiwomen policies.
  Mr. Chair, 2023 marks the sixth year in a row that the Pentagon has 
failed its audit. My colleagues continue to approve record-breaking 
military budgets, but the Pentagon literally cannot pass an audit. It 
is absurd. The Navy's LCS ships, with a lifetime cost of $100 billion, 
Mr. Chair, are literally broken down and rusting in the harbor.
  Meanwhile, my residents are worried. They are worried that there is 
lead in the water they are drinking and toxic chemicals in the air they 
breathe, all issues that my colleagues claim there isn't enough funding 
to solve.
  On top of that, it is incredibly disturbing that many of my 
colleagues in this Chamber are actively profiting financially, 
directly, personally when they vote to pass more funding for weapons in 
war because they personally own stock in war manufacturing.
  Enough is enough. I am proud to oppose this wasteful bill and urge my 
colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from California (Mr. Fong), the newest Member of the House of 
Representatives.
  Mr. FONG. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of Mr. Obernolte's 
amendment to the fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.
  From Navy missile systems to Air Force aircraft, the might of the 
American warfighter can often be traced to the testing and development 
that occurs in my congressional district. The last thing that the 
remarkable individuals at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and 
Edwards Air Force Base need to worry about is whether the hospital 
doors supporting these communities remain open.
  In Ridgecrest in the Indian Wells Valley, a hospital that supports 
China Lake and the Ridgecrest community is struggling financially.
  At Edwards Air Force Base, significant growth is anticipated, but it 
is unclear whether the installation has the supporting healthcare 
system in place.
  This amendment would require the Secretary of Defense to explore this 
critical healthcare issue for the installations within the R-2508 
airspace in the Western United States and report back to Congress. This 
would ensure that we have the information needed so that we can best 
support this critical endeavor.
  We need to ensure that we have a stable healthcare system so that the 
workforce at these legendary installations remain open to the 
creativity and the innovative spirit that has kept America safe for 
generations.

  Mr. Chair, I thank Mr. Obernolte for his leadership on this issue, 
and I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 4 minutes to the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Porter).
  Ms. PORTER. Mr. Chair, our servicemembers deserve the best medical 
care and often they get world-class care, but sometimes military 
doctors fail our servicemembers, making grave errors.
  In the civilian world, patients can file malpractice claims in court 
against doctors and have a jury hear their claims, but military doctors 
are immune from that scrutiny.
  Instead, several years ago, Congress and the DOD developed a process 
for evaluating servicemember malpractice claims, but that process is 
clearly broken.
  We all have constituents who have been victims of military medical 
malpractice, and we need to hold DOD and its doctors accountable.
  That is why I cosponsored Congressman Issa's HERO Act and that is why 
we need this amendment. We need an independent, objective analysis of 
how military medicine is failing our servicemembers.
  My bipartisan amendment would address servicemember traumatic brain 
injury stemming from blast pressure in combat and in training.
  Brain injuries among servicemembers are on the rise. Just last month, 
there were reports that artillery soldiers are also suffering these 
career-altering injuries. Whether injuries are the result of training 
or combat, our servicemembers and their families need the best 
healthcare we can offer. That is what this amendment does by requiring 
the DOD to explore new technologies for the treatment and prevention of 
brain injuries.
  Last year, this amendment passed the House with bipartisan support. 
We must do it again because it was not included in the final 
legislation with the Senate.
  Mr. Chair, I urge my House colleagues to pass it again and my Senate 
colleagues not to delay this important amendment.
  Too often, our servicemembers rely on decades-old equipment that 
can't be updated at a fair price. Open system interfaces solve that 
problem. These systems are already in our daily lives. They are in our 
phones and in our cars. They have been embraced by some defense 
programs because open systems promise faster and cheaper upgrades. That 
is because they allow the government to embrace competition for new 
parts and software that make equipment more effective.
  For small and innovative companies to offer their solutions to the 
Pentagon, they need to know what standards the government is using.
  This amendment will give businesses access to the information they 
need to compete. My amendment would grow small businesses and give our 
servicemembers the tools they need to win.

                              {time}  1600

  Mr. Chair, I rise to support our military families. Military child 
development centers are a lifeline for our servicemembers who move 
frequently and often work long hours, past when childcare centers are 
open.
  Serving more than 20,000 children, the military has offered childcare 
on its bases for decades. Yet, like many families, military families 
struggle to find childcare. A shortage of providers has left roughly 
9,000 children waiting months for a spot at a military childcare 
center.
  Childcare is a quality-of-life concern for Active-Duty 
servicemembers, including those in my district at Naval Weapons Station 
Seal Beach. My amendment would provide a strategy to construct an 
adequate number of child development centers to support our military 
families as they tirelessly serve our country.
  Mr. Chair, I urge Members to support this amendment.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to 
support this en bloc package, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of the 
amendments en bloc, and I, too, yield back the balance of my time.
  The CHAIR. The question is on the amendments en bloc 2 offered by the 
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers).
  The en bloc amendments 2 were agreed to.


       Amendments En Bloc No. 3 Offered by Mr. Rogers of Alabama

  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 1287, 
I offer amendments en bloc.
  The CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendments en bloc.
  Amendments en bloc No. 3 consisting of amendment Nos. 177, 178, 179, 
180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 191, 192, 193, 194, 
195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 
209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 
223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, and 234, printed in 
part B of House Report 118-551, offered by Mr. Rogers of Alabama:


         amendment no. 177 offered by ms. porter of california

       At the end of subtitle G of title VIII, insert the 
     following new section:

     SEC. 8__. OPEN INTERFACE STANDARDS FOR CONTRACTS OF THE 
                   DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

       Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall make publicly 
     available the open interface standards for contracts awarded 
     by the Secretary, unless the service acquisition executive 
     (as defined in section 101 of title 10, United States Code) 
     with respect to a specific contract submits to the

[[Page H4029]]

     Secretary a request to not disclose such standards.


           amendment no. 178 offered by mr. waltz of florida

       Page 448, after line 17, insert the following new section:

     SEC. 8__. ASSESSMENT OF COMPLIANCE WITH GLOBAL HOUSEHOLD 
                   GOODS CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS.

       (a) Assessment.--The Commander of the United States 
     Transportation Command shall carry out an assessment of the 
     performance of contractors under the Global Household Goods 
     Contract in meeting the applicable requirements for capacity 
     and quality in such contract during the period beginning on 
     May 1, 2025, and ending on August 31, 2025.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 11 months after the date of the 
     enactment of this section, the Commander of the United States 
     Transportation Command shall submit to the Committees on 
     Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives 
     a report on the findings of the assessment required under 
     subsection (a).


         amendment no. 179 offered by mr. calvert of california

       At the end of subtitle B of title II, insert the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 2__. MODIFICATION TO INNOVATORS INFORMATION REPOSITORY 
                   IN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

       Section 220 of the John S. McCain National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115-232; 
     10 U.S.C. 2364 note) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``Chief Digital and 
     Artificial Intelligence Office, Defense Innovation Unit, 
     and'' before ``Defense Technical Information Center'';
       (2) in subsection (b), by inserting ``in accordance with 
     subsection (e)'' before the period at the end;
       (3) in subsection (c)--
       (A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
       ``(1) be coordinated across the Department of Defense 
     enterprise to focus on small business innovators that are 
     small, independent United States businesses, including--
       ``(A) those participating in the Small Business Innovation 
     Research program or the Small Business Technology Transfer 
     program;
       ``(B) those participating in the Pilot Program to 
     Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative 
     Technologies and the Rapid Defense Enterprise Research 
     program; and
       ``(C) nontraditional defense companies that are working 
     with research, innovation, and advanced project entities;''; 
     and
       (B) in paragraph (2)--
       (i) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' at the end; 
     and
       (iii) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
       ``(E) the date of the initial award to the participant from 
     the Department of Defense; and
       ``(F) the dates of any additional awards made to the 
     participant, including the dates of any contracts or other 
     agreements entered into between the participant the 
     Department of Defense; and''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(e) Updates Required.--
       ``(1) In general.--Not less frequently than once each 
     fiscal quarter, the head of the Defense Technical Information 
     Center, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense 
     for Research and Engineering, shall update the innovators 
     information repository established under this section.
       ``(2) Notice to congress.--Not later than 30 days after 
     making an update to the innovators information repository 
     under paragraph (1), the head of the Defense Technical 
     Information Center shall submit to the congressional defense 
     committees notice of such update together with instructions 
     for electronically accessing the updated repository.''.


          amendment no. 180 offered by mr. buchanan of florida

       At the end of subtitle F of title X, insert the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 10__. REPORT ON TRAINING AND SAFETY PROGRAM FOR 
                   OPERATION OF ASSAULT AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLES.

       Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the 
     congressional defense committees a report on the feasibility, 
     advisability, and potential benefits of establishing a 
     training and safety program for the operation of assault 
     amphibious vehicles.


         amendment no. 181 offered by mr. molinaro of new york

       Add at the end of subtitle B of title I the following:

     SEC. 113. REPORT ON BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date on 
     which the budget of the President for fiscal year 2026 is 
     submitted to Congress pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, 
     United States Code, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to 
     the congressional defense committees a report on 
     Modernization of the Black Hawk helicopter program of the 
     Army.
       (b) Elements.--The report required under subsection (a) 
     shall include the following:
       (1) Identification of the program elements and level of 
     funding requested for the Black Hawk Modernization program 
     for the period of fiscal years 2026 through 2030 set forth 
     separately by fiscal year and appropriations account.
       (2) Requirements for the program that are sufficient to 
     ensure the Black Hawk helicopters of the Army are 
     systematically modernized to address obsolescence, improve 
     performance, and provide capabilities that ensure relevance 
     in the joint all domain operational environment.
       (3) A program acquisition strategy for Black Hawk 
     Modernization.


         amendment no. 182 offered by mr. molinaro of new york

       At the end of subtitle F of title X, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 10__. UPDATES TO NATIONAL BIODEFENSE STRATEGY.

       (a) Updates Required.--The Secretary of Defense and the 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services shall revise and 
     update the most recent version of the national biodefense 
     strategy and associated implementation plan required under 
     section 1086 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328; 6 U.S.C. 104). In 
     revising and updating the strategy and implementation plan, 
     the Secretaries shall address--
       (1) current and potential biological threats against the 
     United States, both naturally occurring and man-made, either 
     accidental or deliberate;
       (2) the potential for catastrophic biological threats; and
       (3) such other matters as the Secretaries determine 
     appropriate.
       (b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act the Secretary of Defense and the 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services shall jointly submit 
     to the appropriate congressional defense committees the 
     updated strategy and implementation plan required under 
     subsection (a).
       (c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     has the meaning given that term in section 1086(f) of the 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 
     (Public Law 114-328; 6 U.S.C. 104).


          amendment no. 183 offered by mr. buchanan of florida

       At the end of subtitle D of title V, insert the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 5__. EXPANSION OF REPORT ON FUTURE SERVICEMEMBER 
                   PREPARATORY COURSE.

       Section 546(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act 
     for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31; 10 U.S.C. 520 note) 
     is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (6); and
       (2) by inserting, after paragraph (3), the following new 
     paragraphs:
       ``(4) The determination of the Secretary regarding the 
     effectiveness of the preparatory course.
       ``(5) Recommendations of the Secretary regarding--
       ``(A) how to improve the preparatory course;
       ``(B) whether to expand the preparatory course.''.


         amendment no. 184 offered by mr. molinaro of new york

       At the end of subtitle C of title II, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 2__. REPORT ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WORKFORCE OF THE 
                   DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

       (a) Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
     shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
     that includes--
       (1) an assessment of the effectiveness of the artificial 
     intelligence workforce of the Department of Defense;
       (2) identification of any gaps in the skills and training 
     of such workforce; and
       (3) a description of any actions that may be carried out to 
     preserve and enhance such workforce to ensure the global 
     technological competitiveness of the United States.
       (b) Artificial Intelligence Workforce Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``artificial intelligence workforce'' means 
     members of the Armed Forces and civilian personnel of the 
     Department Defense with responsibilities relating to the 
     research, development, procurement, or operational use of 
     artificial intelligence technology.


          amendment no. 185 offered by mr. buchanan of florida

       At the end of subtitle G of title V, add the following:

     SEC. 5__. TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION REGARDING MEMBER'S 
                   OPIOID USE DISORDER TO DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS.

       Section 1142(d) of title 10, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) in the heading, by striking ``Transmittal'' and 
     inserting ``Transmission'';
       (2) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``In the case''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(2) In the case of a member whom the Secretary concerned 
     knows has a history of opioid use disorder, such Secretary 
     concerned shall notify the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of 
     such history within 60 days of the separation. retirement, or 
     discharge of such member.''.

[[Page H4030]]

  



          amendment no. 186 offered by mr. buchanan of florida

       At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 7__. STUDY ON ACCESSIBILITY OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE 
                   PROVIDERS AND SERVICES FOR ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS 
                   OF THE ARMED FORCES.

       (a) Study.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study 
     determine whether and to what extent members of the Armed 
     Forces serving on active duty have adequate access to mental 
     health care providers and services.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
     to the congressional defense committees a report on the 
     results of the study conducted under subsection (a).


          amendment no. 187 offered by mr. buchanan of florida

       At the end of subtitle C of title VI, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 6__. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON INCREASE TO THE FAMILY 
                   SEPARATION ALLOWANCE.

       It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense 
     should raise the family separation allowance to the maximum 
     allowable amount of $400 per month as authorized under 
     section 427 of title 37, United States Code (as amended by 
     section 626 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31; 137 Stat. 294)).


          amendment no. 188 offered by mr. buchanan of florida

       At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 7__. REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN PRESCRIPTION DROP BOXES AT 
                   MILITARY INSTALLATIONS.

       The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each military 
     installation under the jurisdiction of the Secretary has one 
     or more prescription drop boxes to facilitate the safe 
     disposal of unused prescription drugs, including opioids.


           amendment no. 189 offered by mr. james of michigan

       At the end of subtitle B of title I, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 1__. PLAN FOR PROVIDING CERTAIN AIRCRAFT TO THE ARMY 
                   NATIONAL GUARD.

       (a) Plan Required.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall 
     submit to the congressional defense committees a plan for 
     providing the aircraft described in subsection (b) to 
     relevant aviation units of the Army National Guard in a 
     manner that is concurrent with and in proportion to the 
     manner in which such aircraft are provided to active duty 
     Army aviation units.
       (b) Aircraft Described.--The aircraft described in this 
     subsection are the following:
       (1) AH-64E aircraft.
       (2) MQ-1C M25 aircraft.
       (3) CH-47 aircraft.
       (4) UH-60M aircraft.
       (5) Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft.


     amendment no. 191 offered by mr. reschenthaler of pennsylvania

       At the end of subtitle B of title XVII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 17__. REPORT ON SECURITY COOPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT 
                   OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.

       Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the 
     Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
     shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the 
     Senate and House Representatives a report on security 
     cooperation with the Government of the Turks and Caicos 
     Islands and the treatment of detained Americans on Turks and 
     Caicos Islands, including--
       (1) the efforts of such Departments to counter threats from 
     transnational criminal organizations, violent extremist 
     organizations, and malign regional and external state actors 
     in cooperation with the Government of the Turks and Caicos 
     Islands;
       (2) United States taxpayer assistance made available for 
     the Turks and Caicos Islands since October 1, 2014; and
       (3) efforts by such Departments to address the treatment of 
     and human rights abuses committed against United States 
     individuals and others detained by the Government of the 
     Turks and Caicos Islands and to advocate for changes in 
     policy related to their detention of Americans, during fiscal 
     years 2022 through 2024.


            amendment no. 192 offered by mr. casar of texas

       At the end of subtitle H of title V, insert the following:

     SEC. 5__. GAO STUDY ON CHILD CARE SERVICES PROVIDED OR PAID 
                   FOR BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

       (a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
     shall carry out a study to assess the child care programs of 
     the Department of Defense, including military child 
     development centers, family home day care, Military Child 
     Care in Your Neighborhood, and Child Care in Your Home.
       (b) Report.--Not later than six months after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
     submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
     regarding the results of the study under subsection (a). Such 
     report shall include the following information, disaggregated 
     by covered Armed Force:
       (1) The period of time military families in each priority 
     category are on a waiting list from the time of submitting a 
     request on militarychildcare.com until the time of final 
     approval.
       (2) The percentage of military families that submitted a 
     request for child care services through militarychildcare.com 
     and did not receive an offer within three months of the date 
     requested.
       (3) The average percentage of annual income a military 
     family spends on child care per child.
       (4) The percentage of military families that require more 
     than one such child care program to meet child care needs.
       (5) The current amount allocated to each covered Armed 
     Force for the Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood and 
     Child Care in Your Home programs.
       (6) How much of the amount described in paragraph (5) is 
     spent on--
       (A) administration;
       (B) child care services for military families.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``covered Armed Force'' means the Army, Navy, 
     Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force.
       (2) The terms ``military child development center'' and 
     ``family home day care'' have the meanings given such terms 
     in section 1800 of title 10, United States Code.


         amendment no. 193 offered by mr. grothman of wisconsin

       At the end of subtitle E of title XXVIII, insert the 
     following new section:

     SEC. __. QUARTERLY REPORT ON INFILTRATIONS OF CERTAIN 
                   DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROPERTY BY FOREIGN 
                   ACTORS.

       (a) In General.--Not less frequently than quarterly, the 
     Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report on instances of 
     infiltration, or attempted infiltration, of a military 
     installation, facility, or real property under the 
     jurisdiction of the Department of Defense by a foreign actor 
     during the period covered by the report.
       (b) Elements.--Each report required by subsection (a) shall 
     include--
       (1) a summary of each instance of infiltration or attempted 
     infiltration;
       (2) an identification of the foreign actor the Secretary 
     determines is responsible for such infiltration or attempted 
     infiltration; and
       (3) with respect to each foreign actor included in such 
     report, an statement of--
       (A) immigration status, if any;
       (B) country of origin;
       (C) method and date of entry into the United States, if 
     known;
       (D) criminal background, if known; and
       (E) any other information obtained during the applicable 
     Department of Defense investigation that the Secretary of 
     Defense determines appropriate.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     means--
       (A) the Committees on Armed Services of the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate
       (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (C) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
       (D) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
     Representatives;
       (E) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
     Relations of the Senate;
       (F) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate;
       (G) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
     House of Representatives; and
       (H) the Committee on Oversight and Accountability of the 
     House of Representatives.
       (2) The term ``foreign actor'' means an individual who is 
     not a citizen or national of the United States.
       (3) The term ``infiltration'' includes, with respect to a 
     military installation, facility, or real property under the 
     jurisdiction of the Department of Defense, unauthorized photo 
     or video recording.


         amendment no. 194 offered by ms. jacobs of california

       Page 571, after line 11, insert the following:

     SEC. 12__. ASSESSMENT, MONITORING, AND EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS 
                   AND ACTIVITIES.

       Section 383(d)(1)(B) of title 10, United States Code, is 
     amended by inserting ``, including a description of 
     challenges in executing the program,'' after ``lessons 
     learned''.


           amendment no. 195 offered by ms. meng of new york

       Page 803, line 9, insert ``(including in-person, remote, 
     and hybrid fellowships)'' after ``fellowships''.


          amendment no. 196 offered by mrs. spartz of indiana

       Add at the end of subtitle D of title XII the following:

     SEC. 1236. REPORT ON CERTAIN ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINE.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General of the 
     Department of Defense shall submit to Congress a report 
     reconciling all United States assistance to Ukraine, 
     including all normal and supplemental Ukraine appropriations 
     and drawdowns, from January 1, 2022, through the date of such 
     submission. The report shall specifically detail the 
     countries, entities, and individuals who received such 
     assistance.

[[Page H4031]]

       (b) Additional Elements.--The report required under 
     subsection (a) shall also detail the following:
       (1) All contracts awarded to third parties with enumerated 
     amounts, including an identification of each such third party 
     recipient and a specification of the amount awarded to each 
     such third party.
       (2) The total of appropriated or authorized amounts that 
     have been obligated or expended, as well as the total amounts 
     of authorized or appropriated funds that have not been so 
     obligated or expended.
       (c) Form.--The report required under subsection (a) shall 
     be submitted in unclassified form but may contain a 
     classified annex.


            amendment no. 197 offered by mr. case of hawaii

       At the end of subtitle D of title III, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 3__. REPORT ON WILDFIRE FIGHTING CAPABILITIES OF THE 
                   DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IN HAWAII.

       Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a 
     report that contains--
       (1) an assessment of the wildfire fighting capabilities of 
     the Department of Defense in Hawaii, including any shortfalls 
     in firefighting equipment, facilities, training, plans, or 
     personnel;
       (2) a determination of the feasibility of establishing a 
     wildfire training institute on O`ahu;
       (3) an identification of any additional authorities or 
     resources required to integrate the capabilities of the 
     Department of Defense with the capabilities of other Federal, 
     State, and local emergency responders; and
       (4) an identification of any memoranda or other agreements 
     between the Department and State, local, Federal, or other 
     disaster response organizations regarding wildland fire 
     mitigation, prevention, response, and recovery.


           amendment no. 198 offered by ms. crockett of texas

       Add at the end of subtitle C of title XVII of division A 
     the following:

     SEC. __. REPORT ON MILITARY SPOUSE SECURITY CLEARANCE.

       Not later than May 1, 2025, the Secretary of Defense, in 
     consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, 
     shall provide a report to Congress on the technical, 
     operational, human resources, and legal challenges that would 
     result from accelerating security clearance reviews of 
     military spouses by using information, including address 
     verification, from the spousal review of their connected 
     service member's security clearance, as well as the 
     anticipated benefits of such a change.


             amendment no. 199 offered by ms. lee of nevada

       At the end of subtitle E of title XXVIII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. __. DESIGNATION OF CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, NEVADA, AS 
                   REMOTE OR ISOLATED INSTALLATION.

       The Secretary of Defense shall designate Creech Air Force 
     Base located at Indian Springs Nevada, as a remote or 
     isolated installation.


         amendment no. 200 offered by mr. schneider of illinois

       At the end of subtitle A of title VI, insert the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 6__. EXPANSION OF BEREAVEMENT LEAVE.

       Section 701(l)(1)(A) of title 10, United States Code, is 
     amended by striking ``two weeks'' and inserting ``12 weeks''.


         Amendment No. 201 Offered by Mr. Moskowitz of Florida

       At the end of subtitle B of title XVII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 17__. ASSESSMENT OF THE ACCURACY OF GAZA MINISTRY OF 
                   HEALTH CASUALTY REPORTING.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Defense 
     Intelligence Agency shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
     Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
     report assessing the accuracy of the reporting of the Gaza 
     Ministry of Health regarding--
       (1) the total casualty figures reported by the Ministry; 
     and
       (2) the information disseminated by the Ministry of 
     casualties grouped by age and gender.
       (b) Form.--The assessment required by paragraph (1) shall 
     be transmitted in an unclassified manner, and any supporting 
     documentation may be transmitted in a classified annex.
       (c) Briefing.--Not later than 30 days after the submission 
     of the report required by subsection (a), the Director of the 
     Defense Intelligence Agency shall brief the Committees on 
     Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives 
     on the contents of the report.


         Amendment No. 202 Offered by Mrs. Torres of California

       At the end of subtitle G of title V, insert the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 5__. REPORT ON THE NUMBER OF VETERANS WHO HAVE THEIR 
                   MILITARY ACQUIRED CREDENTIALS RECOGNIZED AT THE 
                   STATE-LEVEL FOR THE CIVILIAN WORKFORCE.

       (a) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this section, the Secretary of Defense, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the 
     Secretary of Labor, shall submit to Congress a report that 
     builds on the data reported in the ``DoD Credentialing 
     Utilization'' report from 2018 (3-BB02A16) to better assess 
     the effectiveness of the Credentialing Programs for post-
     military civilian employment.
       (b) Matters Included.--The report under subsection (a) 
     shall include the following:
       (1) An assessment of the number of veterans who 
     successfully transfer their eligible professional credentials 
     to civilian jobs.
       (2) An assessment of which certifications were most 
     commonly used for post-military civilian employment, such as 
     airplane mechanics.
       (3) An assessment on any other barriers veterans face to 
     transferring military mechanical skills to State 
     certifications.
       (c) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``applicable licensing authority'' means the 
     licensing authority by a State for a given vocation in which 
     the veteran works or would like to work.
       (2) The term ``eligible professional credential'' means a 
     professional credential, including a professional credential 
     in the field of airplane mechanics, obtained using expenses 
     paid pursuant to the program under section 2015 of title 10, 
     United States Code.
       (3) The term ``expenses'' has the meaning given such term 
     in such section.
       (4) The term ``State'' means each of the several States and 
     territories and the District of Columbia.


           Amendment No. 203 Offered by Mr. Barr of Kentucky

       At the end of subtitle C of title XVII, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 17__. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR 
                   BLUE GRASS CHEMICAL AGENT-DESTRUCTION PILOT 
                   PLANT.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The Joint Explanatory Statement to accompany the James 
     M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
     2023 (Public Law 117-263) directed the Secretary of Defense, 
     in consultation with the Secretary of the Army, to conduct a 
     feasibility study to assess potential missions, plants, or 
     industries feasible for Army or Department of Defense needs 
     at the Blue Grass Army Depot following the completion of the 
     mission at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot 
     Plant.
       (2) House Report 118-301 to accompany the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31) 
     directed the Secretary of the Army, in coordination with the 
     Commanding General, Army Materiel Command and the Assistant 
     Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and 
     Technology to provide a briefing on the costs and estimated 
     funding profile associated with the organic industrial base 
     modernization strategy and the efforts required to support 
     opportunities for augmenting the organic industrial base at 
     Blue Grass Army Depot.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the Department of Defense and the Secretary of the Army, in 
     coordination with the Commanding General of the Army Materiel 
     Command and the Assistant Secretary of the Army for 
     Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, should work with 
     Congress and the local community near the Blue Grass Army 
     Depot to build upon the findings of the feasibility study and 
     House Report referred to in subsection (a).

      Amendment No. 204 Offered by Mr. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania

       At the end of subtitle E of title I, insert the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 1__. MODIFICATION TO MULTIYEAR PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY FOR 
                   CERTAIN CRITICAL MINERALS.

       Section 152 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31; 137 Stat. 180; 50 U.S.C. 
     98e-2) is amended--
       (1) in the heading, by inserting ``strategic and'' after 
     ``domestically processed'';
       (2) in subsection (a), by striking ``the procurement of'' 
     and all that follows and inserting the following: ``the 
     procurement of strategic and critical materials that are 
     mined, processed, or produced in the United States.'';
       (3) in subsection (c), by striking ``the domestically 
     processed critical minerals'' and inserting ``the strategic 
     and critical materials'';
       (4) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f);
       (5) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(e) Priority.--In carrying out the activities described 
     in this section, the Secretary may give priority to the 
     procurement of strategic and critical materials that are 
     derived from recycled and reused minerals and metals to the 
     maximum extent practicable, and from terrestrial mines that 
     do not cause harm to the natural or cultural resources of 
     Tribal communities or sovereign nations or result in degraded 
     ground or surface water.''; and
       (6) in subsection (f), as so redesignated--
       (A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
       ``(1) The term `strategic and critical material' means a 
     material determined to be a strategic or critical material 
     under section 3(a) of the Strategic and Critical Materials 
     Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98b(a)).''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(4) The term `produced' means formed, assembled, 
     manufactured, or systems integrated.''.


[[Page H4032]]


  



          Amendment No. 205 Offered by Mrs. Spartz of Indiana

       Add at the end of subtitle A of title X the following:

     SEC. 1004. OVERSIGHT REQUIREMENTS FOR FINANCIAL IMPROVEMENT 
                   AND AUDIT REMEDIATION PLAN.

       Section 240b(b) of title 10, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ``, the Committee on 
     Oversight and Accountability of the House of Representatives, 
     and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental 
     Affairs of the Senate'' after ``congressional defense 
     committees''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) by amending the paragraph heading to read as follows: 
     ``Briefings''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(C) Not later than June 30, 2025, and annually 
     thereafter, the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) 
     shall provide to the Committee on Oversight and 
     Accountability of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of 
     the Senate a briefing on the status of the corrective action 
     plan. Such briefing shall include an assessment of the 
     progress of the Secretary of Defense in achieving an 
     unqualified audit opinion as described in subsection 
     (a)(2)(iv)''.


           Amendment No. 206 Offered by Mr. Davidson of Ohio

       Page 370, insert after line 6 the following:

     SEC. 734. WITHHOLDING OF FUNDS FOR FAILURE TO SUBMIT REPORTS 
                   ON HEALTH CONDITIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED 
                   FORCES ON ACTIVE DUTY DEVELOPED AFTER 
                   ADMINISTRATION OF COVID-19 VACCINE.

       (a) Withholding.--Section 725(c) of the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31; 
     137 Stat. 309) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``Not later than'' and inserting ``(1) Not 
     later than''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) If the Secretary fails to submit a report required 
     under paragraph (1) prior to the deadline applicable under 
     such paragraph, the amount otherwise authorized to be 
     appropriated for the Office of the Secretary of Defense for 
     the next fiscal year which begins after the deadline shall be 
     reduced by 5 percent.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
     shall take effect as if included in the enactment of National 
     Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024.


           Amendment No. 207 Offered by Mr. Wenstrup of Ohio

       At the end of subtitle B of title VII, insert the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 7__. EXPANSION OF RECOGNITION BY THE DEFENSE HEALTH 
                   AGENCY OF CERTIFYING BODIES FOR PHYSICIANS.

       (a) Expansion.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Defense Health 
     Agency shall revise the policy of the Defense Health Agency 
     regarding the credentialing and privileging under the 
     military health system to expand the recognition of 
     certifying bodies for physicians under such policy to a wide 
     range of additional board certifications in medical 
     specialties and subspecialties. The following certifying 
     bodies shall be so recognized:
       (1) The member boards of the American Board of Medical 
     Specialties.
       (2) The Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists of the American 
     Osteopathic Association.
       (3) The American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery.
       (4) The American Board of Podiatric Medicine.
       (5) The American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
       (b) Standards for Recognition of Other Certifying Bodies.--
     To be recognized under subsection (a), a certifying body 
     shall--
       (1) be an organization described in section 501(c) of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under 
     section 501(a) of that Code;
       (2) maintain a process to define, periodically review, 
     enforce, and update specific standards regarding knowledge 
     and skills of the specialty or subspecialty;
       (3) administer a psychometrically valid assessment to 
     determine whether a physician meets standards for initial 
     certification, recertification, or continuing certification;
       (4) establish and enforce a code of professional conduct; 
     and
       (5) require that, in order to be considered a board 
     certified specialty physician, a physician must satisfy--
       (A) the certifying body's applicable requirements for 
     initial certification; and
       (B) any applicable recertification or continuing 
     certification requirements of the certifying body that 
     granted the initial certification.


           Amendment No. 208 Offered by Mr. Barr of Kentucky

       At the end of subtitle B of title I, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 1__. DEVELOPMENT OF REQUIREMENT FOR SHIPPING CONTAINER 
                   PRODUCTION FACILITY AT DOMESTIC ARMY 
                   INSTALLATION.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) House Report 118-301 accompanying the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31) 
     directed the Secretary of the Army, in coordination with the 
     Commanding General, Army Materiel Command and the Assistant 
     Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and 
     Technology to provide a briefing on the costs and estimated 
     funding profile as it relates to the organic industrial base 
     modernization strategy, and facility efforts required to 
     support opportunities for organic industrial base 
     augmentation at Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky.
       (2) The briefing was directed to explore Blue Grass Army 
     Depot as a potential site for the production of metal 
     shipping containers.
       (3) Limited domestic production, coupled with the 
     concentration of global shipping container manufacturing in 
     and around China, is a strategic deployment and sustainment 
     risk for United States forces.
       (4) China produces most shipping containers and the 
     Department of Defense sources nearly all containers from Asia 
     or assembles container kits in the United States from 
     foreign-producers.
       (5) Establishing a domestic source for metal shipping 
     containers would reduce reliance on foreign sources.
       (b) Shipping Container Requirement.--Not later than 180 
     days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of 
     the Army, the Commanding General of the Army Materiel 
     Command, and the Assistant Secretary of the Army for 
     Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, shall develop a 
     requirement for the establishment of a shipping container 
     production facility within the United States at an Army 
     installation found to meet feasibility and readiness goals.


        Amendment No. 209 Offered by Ms. Sherrill of New Jersey

       In subtitle G of title V, add at the end the following:

     SEC. 5__. TRAINING AND INTERNSHIPS FOR TRANSITIONING MEMBERS 
                   THROUGH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

       (a) Skillbridge.--The Secretary of Defense may conduct 
     outreach to institutions of higher education in order to 
     enter into more agreements with such institutions of higher 
     education that may provide training or internships to members 
     of the Armed Forces pursuant to the Skillbridge program 
     established under section 1143(e) of title 10, United States 
     Code.
       (b) Institution of Higher Education Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``institution of higher education'' has the 
     meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).


         Amendment No. 210 Offered by Ms. Pettersen of Colorado

       Add at the end of subtitle C of title VII the following:

     SEC. 7__. HEALTH CARE STRATEGY FOR MEMBERS WHO PERFORM DUTY 
                   IN A COLD WEATHER LOCATION.

       (a) In General.--The Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
     Health Affairs shall convene a working group of subject 
     matter experts from the extramural community and military 
     health system to develop a strategy and the medical research 
     and development requirements to deliver pre-hospital, life-
     saving interventions for members of the Armed Forces who 
     perform duty in cold weather locations. Not later than July 
     1, 2025, the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the 
     congressional defense committees such strategy and associated 
     requirements. which shall include the following:
       (1) An overarching plan addressing unique pre-hospital 
     lifesaving and sustainment interventions required in cold 
     weather locations and research required to advance medical 
     care in cold weather locations.
       (2) A review of laboratory and medical product development 
     capabilities of the Department of Defense to conduct research 
     and development and support the transition and fielding of 
     medical products for cold weather locations.
       (3) Identification of and recommendations to amend clinical 
     practice guidelines to treat combat casualties in cold 
     weather locations.
       (4) Initial capabilities documents identifying gaps and 
     requirements to support pre-hospital, life-saving 
     interventions during operations in cold weather locations.
       (5) A recommended investment plan to address clinical and 
     medical research and development capability gaps identified 
     in initial capabilities documents.
       (6) Engagement of academic medical centers and institutions 
     to support public-private partnerships for research and 
     development to address the pre-hospital needs of members 
     following injury in cold weather locations.
       (b) Cold Weather Location Defined.--In this section, the 
     term ``cold weather location'' means a location for which a 
     member may receive special duty pay--
       (1) under section 352 of title 37, United States Code; and
       (2) pursuant to section 315 of the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31; 37 
     U.S.C. 352 note).


         Amendment No. 211 Offered by Mr. Ciscomani of Arizona

       Page 915, after line 12, insert the following new section:

     SEC. 28__. LAND CONVEYANCE, FORT HUACHUCA, SIERRA VISTA, 
                   ARIZONA.

       (a) Conveyance Authorized.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Army may convey, 
     without consideration, to

[[Page H4033]]

     the City of Sierra Vista, Arizona (in this section referred 
     to as the ``City''), all right, title, and interest of the 
     United States in and to a parcel of real property, including 
     any improvements thereon, consisting of approximately 203 
     acres, comprising a portion of Fort Huachuca, Arizona, for 
     the purpose of compatible development of the municipal 
     airport located in the City.
       (2) Continuation of existing easements, restrictions, and 
     covenants.--The conveyance of the property under paragraph 
     (1) shall be subject to any easement, restriction, or 
     covenant of record applicable to the property and in 
     existence on the date of the enactment of this section.
       (b) Revisionary Interest.--
       (1) In general.--If the Secretary of the Army determines at 
     any time that the real property conveyed under subsection (a) 
     is not being used in accordance with the purpose of the 
     conveyance specified in such subsection, all right, title, 
     and interest in and to the property, including any 
     improvements thereto, may, at the option of the Secretary, 
     revert to and become the property of the United States, and 
     the United States may have the right of immediate entry onto 
     such property.
       (2) Determination.--A determination by the Secretary of the 
     Army under paragraph (1) shall be made on the record after an 
     opportunity for a hearing.
       (c) Payment of Costs of Conveyance.--
       (1) Payment required.--The Secretary of the Army shall 
     require the City to cover all costs (except costs for 
     environmental remediation of the property) to be incurred by 
     the Secretary, or to reimburse the Secretary for costs 
     incurred by the Secretary, to carry out the conveyance under 
     subsection (a), including costs for environmental and real 
     estate due diligence and any other administrative costs 
     related to the conveyance.
       (2) Refund of excess amounts.--If amounts collected by the 
     Secretary of the Army from the City under paragraph (1) in 
     advance exceed the costs actually incurred by the Secretary 
     to carry out the conveyance under subsection (a), the 
     Secretary shall refund the excess amount to the City.
       (d) Limitation on Source of Funds.--The City may not use 
     Federal funds to cover any portion of the costs required to 
     be paid by the City under this section.
       (e) Description of Property.--The exact acreage and legal 
     description of the property to be conveyed under subsection 
     (a) shall be determined by a survey satisfactory to the 
     Secretary of the Army.
       (f) Additional Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary of the 
     Army may require such additional terms and conditions in 
     connection with the conveyance under subsection (a) as the 
     Secretary considers appropriate to protect the interests of 
     the United States.


       Amendment to No. 212 Offered by Ms. Pettersen of Colorado

       Page 780, insert after line 7 the following:

     SEC. 1818. BRIEFING ON ACCESS OF MEMBERS OF NATIONAL GUARD TO 
                   CHILD CARE SERVICES AT MILITARY CHILD 
                   DEVELOPMENT CENTERS.

       (a) Briefing Required.--Not later than one year after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, 
     in coordination with the Secretaries of the Army and Air 
     Force, shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of 
     the Senate and House of Representatives a briefing regarding 
     the access of members of the Army National Guard and the Air 
     Force National Guard to child care services at military child 
     development centers.
       (b) Elements.--The briefing under this section shall 
     include the following elements:
       (1) The number of families in the Army National Guard and 
     the Air Force National Guard with children under 12 years of 
     age.
       (2) The number of families in the Army National Guard and 
     the Air Force National Guard with children under 12 years in 
     which both parents are members of either the Army National 
     Guard or the Air Force National Guard.
       (3) The number of single parent households in which the 
     parent is a member of the Army National Guard or the Air 
     Force National Guard.
       (4) The average number of days during the year in which a 
     member of the Army National Guard or the Air Force National 
     Guard who has a child under 12 years of age is on active 
     duty.
       (5) The number of members of the Army National Guard or the 
     Air Force National Guard Number who have a child under 12 
     years of age who live within the following distance of a 
     military child development center:
       (A) 10 miles.
       (B) 25 miles.
       (C) 50 miles.
       (D) Over 100 miles.
       (6) The number of Army National Guard armories and Air 
     Force National Guard armories within the following distance 
     of a military child development center:
       (A) 10 miles.
       (B) 25 miles.
       (C) 50 miles.
       (D) Over 100 miles.
       (7) The number of Army National Guard families who have 
     successfully obtained a voucher for child care funding cost 
     assistance though the Childcare Aware and Upwards programs.
       (8) The number of Air Force National Guard families who 
     have successfully obtained a voucher for child care funding 
     cost assistance though the Childcare Aware and Upwards 
     programs.
       (9) The amount of funds currently spent on vouchers under 
     the Childcare Aware program for Army National Guard families 
     and Air Force National Guard families, and the amount of 
     funds currently spent on vouchers for Army National Guard 
     families and Air Force National Guard families under the 
     Upwards program.
       (10) An overview of State laws that affect the ability of 
     military child development centers to provide 24-hour and 
     overnight child care services.
       (c) Definition.--In this section, the term ``military child 
     development center'' has the meaning given such term in 
     section 1800 of title 10, United States Code.


           Amendment No. 213 Offered by Mr. Pfluger of Texas

       At the end of subtitle G of title X, insert the following:

     SEC. 10__. PSYCHOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE TRAINING IN PERFORMANCE 
                   MINDSET.

       (a) Finding.--Congress finds that long-term exposure to 
     high-stress environments leaves many individuals in a 
     suboptimal performance state, creating an environment for 
     maladaptive coping mechanisms, compromised performance 
     abilities, and a potential increase in anxiety, depression, 
     suicide, domestic violence, and substance abuse.
       (b) Required Training.--All training provided to a member 
     of the Armed Forces, including at a Service Academy (as 
     defined section 347 of title 10, United States Code), or a 
     school operated under chapter 107 or 108 of title 10, United 
     States Code, shall include training on the development of 
     proactive psychological performance skills and strategies for 
     psychological flexibility and mental strength. Such training 
     shall include each of the following:
       (1) Training in scientifically researched and evidence-
     based mindset skills designed to prepare members of the Armed 
     Forces for the physical and mental stressors associated with 
     service in the Armed Forces.
       (2) Performance mindset training designed to create 
     psychological flexibility and mental strength to reduce the 
     effects of potential trauma.
       (3) Interactive and contextualized training provided by 
     specialized training teams with expert knowledge of 
     psychological performance and how to apply the skills covered 
     by the training across the phases of a career of a member of 
     the Armed Forces.
       (c) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary 
     of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense 
     committees a report on the implementation of this section. 
     Each such report shall be submitted in unclassified form, but 
     may contain a classified annex.


            amendment no. 214 offered by mr. soto of florida

       At the end of subtitle C of title II, insert the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 2__. INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR HIGH-HYPERSONIC DETONATION 
                   PROPULSION RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY.

       (a) Increase.--Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the 
     funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be 
     appropriated in section 201 for RDT&E, Air Force for 
     Aerospace Propulsion, line 008 as specified in the 
     corresponding funding table in section 4201, for high-
     hypersonic detonation propulsion research and technology is 
     hereby increased by $5,000,000; and
       (b) Offset.--Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the 
     funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be 
     appropriated in section 301 for O&M, Air Force for 
     Administration, line 410, as specified in the corresponding 
     funding table in section 4301, for program decrease is hereby 
     reduced by $5,000,000.


          amendment no. 215 offered by mr. buchanan of florida

       At the end of subtitle J of title V, insert the following:

     SEC. 5__. COMMERCIAL TRANSITION FOR MILITARY AVIATION 
                   MECHANICS.

       The Secretary of Defense shall create a strategy to support 
     the transition of military aviation mechanics to commercial 
     aviation mechanics after active duty service.


            amendment no. 216 offered by mr. soto of florida

       At the end of subtitle C of title II, insert the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 2__. INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR ADAPTIVE AND INTELLIGENT 
                   ADVERSARY-THREAT MODELS.

       (a) Increase.--Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the 
     funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be 
     appropriated in section 201 for RDT&E, Army for Soldier 
     Lethality Technology, line 010 as specified in the 
     corresponding funding table in section 4201, for adaptive and 
     intelligent adversary-threat models is hereby increased by 
     $5,000,000.
       (b) Offset.--Notwithstanding the amounts set forth in the 
     funding tables in division D, the amount authorized to be 
     appropriated in section 301 for O&M, Army for Other Personnel 
     Support, line 470 as specified in the corresponding funding 
     table in section 4301, for program decrease is hereby reduced 
     by $5,000,000.


        amendment no. 217 offered by mr. austin scott of georgia

       At the end of subtitle F of title X, insert the following:

     SEC. 10__. REPORT ON MODIFICATIONS OF EXPEDITIONARY TRANSFER 
                   DOCK SHIPS.

       Not later than March 1, 2025, the Chief of Naval 
     Operations, in consultation with the

[[Page H4034]]

     Commandant of the Coast Guard, shall submit to the Committee 
     on Armed Services and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Armed 
     Services and the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on 
     recommended modifications to the Expeditionary Transfer Dock 
     Ships that will best enable at-sea sustainment of Joint 
     Interagency Task Force South partner nation patrol vessels 
     and United States Coast Guard Fast Response Cutters.


          amendment no. 218 offered by mr. buchanan of florida

       At the end of subtitle F of title X, insert the following:

     SEC. 10__. REPORT ON MILITARY AND WEAPONS LOST DURING 
                   WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN.

       The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional 
     defense committees a report that includes an accounting of 
     all the military equipment and weapons lost to the Taliban 
     during the withdrawal of the United States Armed Forces from 
     Afghanistan.


         amendment no. 219 offered by mr. schneider of illinois

       At the end of subtitle B of title XII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 12__. BRIEFING ON IRANIAN SUPPORT FOR NON-STATE ACTORS 
                   IN NORTH AFRICA.

       (a) Briefing Required.--Not later than 90 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
     shall provide the appropriate congressional committees a 
     briefing on--
       (1) Iran's material support for non-state actors in North 
     Africa;
       (2) threats to the security of United States allies in the 
     region posed by this Iranian support; and
       (3) recommendations for actions the United States may take 
     to deter Iran from providing this support.
       (b) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the 
     House of Representatives;
       (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
       (3) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives.


          amendment no. 220 offered by mr. buchanan of florida

       At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 10__. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING COOPERATION WITH THE 
                   PHILIPPINES ON MARITIME SECURITY.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the United States should remain committed to helping 
     the Philippines maintain the safety and security of the 
     Philippines, including helping the Philippines to defend 
     against threats to such safety and security from China; and
       (2) to help the Philippines defend against such threats, 
     the United States should expand cooperation between the 
     United States and the Philippines with respect to maritime 
     security.


        amendment no. 221 offered by mr. obernolte of california

       At the end of subtitle F of title X, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 10__. ASSESSMENT OF THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM SUPPORTING 
                   MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN THE R-2508 AIRSPACE.

       (a) Assessment Required.--The Secretary of Defense, in 
     coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments 
     concerned, shall develop an assessment of the health care 
     system supporting the military installations within the R-
     2508 Airspace to ensure adequate health care for the civilian 
     and military workforce.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit 
     to the congressional defense committees a report on the 
     results of the assessment conducted under subsection (a). 
     Such report shall include an explanation of--
       (1) any challenges to the health care system covered by the 
     report within the private and public sector--
       (A) including any challenges relating to funding and 
     authorization;
       (B) including any potential obstacles to access health care 
     services for both civilian and military populations;
       (C) whether there exists a provider shortage for emergency 
     care personnel and certain other specialties; and
       (D) including consideration of the potential impacts on the 
     mission of the military installations covered by the report;
       (2) recommendations with respect to legislative proposals 
     to improve such health care system; and
       (3) the plans of the Secretary to address the issues 
     identified under paragraphs (1) through (2).


         amendment no. 222 offered by mr. schneider of illinois

       At the end of subtitle C of title XVII, add the following:

     SEC. 17_. REWARDS FOR INFORMATION REGARDING LEADERS OF HAMAS.

       (a) In General.--The Director of the Defense Intelligence 
     Agency and the Secretary of Defense shall advocate in their 
     respective roles on the Foreign Threat Intelligence Committee 
     to request the Rewards for Justice Program to offer 
     $25,000,000 each in incentives for information regarding 
     Hamas terrorists Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif.
       (b) Other Rewards.--The Director of the Defense 
     Intelligence Agency and the Secretary of Defense should 
     advocate for significant rewards for information regarding 
     other leaders Iran-backed entities designated as Foreign 
     Terrorist Organizations under section 219 of the Immigration 
     and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189) or Specially Designated 
     Global Terrorists under section 594.310 of title 31, Code of 
     Federal Regulations.


          amendment no. 223 offered by mr. buchanan of florida

       At the end of subtitle C of title VII, add the following:

     SEC. 7__. STUDY ON INCREASED TELEHEALTH SERVICES OF THE 
                   DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY.

       Not later than September 30, 2025, the Director of the 
     Defense Health Agency shall submit to the congressional 
     defense committees a report containing the results of a study 
     to determine how to increase access of TRICARE beneficiaries 
     to telehealth services of the Defense Health Agency.


          amendment no. 224 offered by mr. smith of new jersey

       Add at the end of subtitle F of title X the following:

     SEC. 10__. GAO REVIEW AND REPORT ON BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS 
                   EXPERIMENTS ON AND IN RELATION TO TICKS, TICK-
                   BORNE DISEASE.

       (a) Review.--The Comptroller General of the United States 
     shall conduct a review of research conducted during the 
     period beginning on January 1, 1945, and ending on December 
     31, 1972, by the Department of Defense, including by the 
     Department of Defense in consultation with the National 
     Institutes of Health, the Department of Agriculture, or any 
     other Federal agency on--
       (1) the use of ticks as hosts or delivery mechanisms for 
     biological warfare agents, including experiments involving 
     Spirochaetales and Rickettsiales; and
       (2) any efforts to improve the effectiveness and viability 
     of Spirochaetales and Rickettsiales as biological weapons 
     through combination with other diseases or viruses.
       (b) Location of Research.--In conducting the review under 
     subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall review research 
     conducted at facilities located inside United States and 
     facilities located outside the United States, including 
     laboratories and field work locations.
       (c) Information to Be Reviewed.--
       (1) Classified information.--In conducting the review under 
     subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall review any 
     relevant classified information.
       (2) Documents for review.--In conducting the review under 
     subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall review, among 
     other sources, the following documents:
       (A) Technical Reports related to The Summary of Major 
     Events and Problems, US Army Chemical Corps, FY 1951 - 
     FY1969.
       (B) Site Holding: CB DT DW 48158 Title: Virus and 
     Rickettsia Waste Disposal Study. Technical Report No. 103, 
     January 1969. Corp Author Name: FORT DETRICK FREDERICK MD 
     Report Number: SMUFD-TR-103 Publish Date: 19690101.
       (C) Site Holding: CB DT DW 60538 Title: A Plaque Assay 
     System for Several Species of Rickettsia. Corp Author Name: 
     FORT DETRICK FREDERICK MD Report Number: SMUFD-TM-538 Publish 
     Date: 19690601.
       (D) Site Holding: CB DW 531493 Title: Progress Report for 
     Ecology and Epidemiology and Biological Field Test 
     Technology, Third Quarter FY 1967. Corp Author Name: ARMY 
     DUGWAY PROVING GROUND UT Publish Date: 19670508.
       (d) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
     submit to Congress a report that includes the following:
       (A) The scope of any research described in subsection (a).
       (B) Whether any ticks used in such research were released 
     outside of any facility (including any ticks that were 
     released unintentionally).
       (C) Whether any records related to such research were 
     destroyed, and whether such destruction was intentional or 
     unintentional.
       (2) Form of report.--The report required under paragraph 
     (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain 
     a classified annex.


           amendment no. 225 offered by mr. barr of kentucky

       At the end of subtitle F of title X, add the following new 
     section:

     SEC. 10__. ASSESSMENT OF INFLUENCE OF CHINA IN PACIFIC ISLAND 
                   NATIONS.

       Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
     this section, and each year thereafter, the Director of the 
     Defense Intelligence Agency shall publish in the annual China 
     military power report required by section 1202 of the 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 
     (Public Law 106-65), or other relevant publication, an 
     assessment of the following:
       (1) Investments and influence of China in Pacific Island 
     nations.
       (2) How China's activities have or have not impacted United 
     States military strategy in the Pacific region, as it relates 
     to Pacific Island nations.

[[Page H4035]]

  



          amendment no. 226 offered by mr. walberg of michigan

       At the end of subtitle B of title XVII, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 17__. ANNUAL REPORT ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ASSISTANCE 
                   TO U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION AND 
                   DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ON NORTHERN 
                   BORDER SECURITY.

       The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress an annual 
     report on the assistance the Department of Defense provides 
     to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of 
     Homeland Security to secure the northern border of the United 
     States.


          amendment no. 227 offered by ms. slotkin of michigan

       At the end of subtitle G of title VIII, insert the 
     following new section:

     SEC. 8__. REPORTS ON NATIONAL SECURITY RISKS.

       (a) GAO Report.--
       (1) In general.--The Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall submit to Congress a report containing the 
     results of a study on the national security risks posed by 
     consulting firms who simultaneously contract with the Federal 
     Government and the Chinese government or its proxies or 
     affiliates.
       (2) Contents.--In performing the study under paragraph (1), 
     the Comptroller General shall--
       (A) assess the extent to which Federal agencies collect 
     information on contracts performed on behalf of the Chinese 
     government or its proxies or affiliates by consulting firms 
     that hold or have held contracts with the Federal Government, 
     and whether such information includes specific projects and 
     deliverables of such contracts;
       (B) evaluate the extent to which selected Federal agencies, 
     to include at a minimum the Department of Defense and 
     elements of the Intelligence Community, have assessed the 
     risks posed by American consulting firms' work for the 
     Chinese government and its proxies or affiliates, including 
     an assessment of risk of deliberate or inadvertent sharing of 
     Federal Government information that may be used for Chinese 
     economic or military advantage;
       (C) identify relevant contract clauses, procedures, and 
     information used by Federal agencies to identify, evaluate 
     and resolve organizational conflicts of interest when 
     awarding consulting contracts;
       (D) assess the extent to which agencies experience 
     challenges when identifying, evaluating and resolving 
     organizational conflicts of interest, including determining 
     whether the offeror or potential contractor also performs 
     work for China; and
       (E) identify steps federal agencies take to monitor 
     contractor compliance with any contract clauses, terms or 
     conditions intended to resolve identified conflicts of 
     interest.
       (b) Report on Conflicts of Interest.--The Secretary of 
     Defense shall annually submit to Congress a report on--
       (1) the implementation of section 812 of the National 
     Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (10 U.S.C. 
     4501 note prec.); and
       (2) how the Department of Defense is defining the term 
     ``entities related to the Chinese or Russian governments'' 
     and whether, and to what extent, the Secretary is 
     investigating conflicts of interest between prime contractors 
     of the Department of Defense and subsidiary companies of such 
     contractors.


         amendment no. 229 offered by mr. burlison of missouri

       At the end of subtitle I of title V, insert the following:

     SEC. 5__. AUTHORIZATION OF AWARD OF MEDAL OF HONOR TO GREGORY 
                   MCMANUS FOR ACTS OF VALOR.

       (a) Waiver of Time Limitations.--Notwithstanding the time 
     limitations specified in section 7274 of title 10, United 
     States Code, or any other time limitation with respect to the 
     awarding of certain medals to persons who served in the Armed 
     Forces, the President is authorized to award the Medal of 
     Honor, under section 7271 of such title, to Gregory McManus 
     for the acts of valor described in subsection (b).
       (b) Acts of Valor Described.--The acts of valor described 
     in this subsection are the following:
       (1) Chief Warrant Officer Gregory McManus distinguished 
     himself for his brave acts of valor while serving in the 
     United States Army by risking his life to save the lives of 
     his fellow servicemembers.
       (2) Chief Warrant Officer McManus deserves recognition for 
     his acts of valor while serving as the commander of a single 
     helicopter gunship on an important mission north of Chai Duc.
       (3) Discovering an envoy of hundreds of enemy troops along 
     the Cambodian border, Chief Warrant Officer McManus attacked 
     the enemy without hesitation.
       (4) Chief Warrant Officer McManus disregarded the tracers 
     that rose to meet him, firing rockets the entire length of 
     the convoy, confusing the enemy, and scattering the troop 
     column.
       (5) Chief Warrant Officer McManus then attacked an armored 
     vehicle with a mounted machine gun, destroying it and a large 
     artillery piece which it was towing.
       (6) Over and over, Chief Warrant Officer McManus flew 
     through heavy automatic weapons and machine gun fire to 
     attack the enemy, only deciding to return when his ordinance 
     was expended, and his ship had taken so much damage that 
     further flight was inadvisable.
       (7) With this noble deed, Chief Warrant Officer McManus was 
     able to destroy the enemy unit and scattered the rest in 
     disorder with a single ship.
       (8) Disregarding the size and scope of the enemy troop's 
     convoy, Chief Warrant Officer McManus put his own life in 
     danger, all in the service of his country and members of the 
     Armed Forces.
       (9) Because of the heroic actions of Chief Warrant Officer 
     McManus, countless American soldier's lives were saved.
       (10) These actions of heroism by Chief Warrant Officer 
     McManus deserves recognition and demonstrates this hero of 
     the United States more than deserve the medal of honor.


         amendment no. 230 offered by mr. schneider of illinois

       At the end of subtitle D of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. _. MILITARY COOPERATION WITH MOROCCO.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) The United States recognizes the 20th anniversary of 
     the African Lion exercise hosted by Morocco, a key United 
     States ally in Africa and the Middle East.
       (2) The African Lion exercise is United States Africa 
     Command's largest annual combined joint exercise.
       (3) African Lion builds and maintains interoperability with 
     our African and North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners 
     and improves our ability to meet security related challenges 
     together to address the growing threats from nation states, 
     private military corporations, militias, non-state armed 
     groups and violent extremist organizations, given the 
     increasing presence of malign actors in Africa, including the 
     Iranian regime and its proxies, particularly in North Africa 
     and the Sahel.
       (b) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United 
     States to--
       (1) support strengthening security cooperation with Morocco 
     given increasing instability in Africa and the Middle East 
     and provide for close cooperation between the United States 
     and Morocco in order to contribute to the region's broader 
     security; and
       (2) provide for the continuation of the African Lion 
     exercise in future years will support the crucial efforts to 
     address security challenges facing NATO's southern flank.
       (c) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
     submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report 
     detailing how the United States can improve its 
     interoperability and cooperation with Morocco through the 
     African Lion exercise to continue to address the growing 
     threats in Africa, including the Iranian regime and its 
     proxies, particularly in North Africa and the Sahel.
       (2) Definition.--In this subsection, the term ``appropriate 
     congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
       (B) and the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee 
     on Foreign Relations of the Senate.


          amendment no. 231 offered by mr. buchanan of florida

       At the end of subtitle F of title XVIII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. __. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PLAN TO CONSTRUCT MEMORIAL AT 
                   ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY IN COMMEMORATION OF 
                   MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES KILLED IN CERTAIN 
                   ATTACK AT HAMID KARZAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, 
                   KABUL, AFGHANISTAN.

       The Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a plan 
     and strategy to construct a memorial in Arlington National 
     Cemetery, Virginia, to commemorate the thirteen members of 
     the Armed Forces killed in the attack at Hamid Karzai 
     International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, in August of 
     2021.


            amendment no. 232 offered by mr. golden of maine

       At the end of subtitle G of title V, insert the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 5__. OPT-OUT SHARING OF INFORMATION ON MEMBERS RETIRING 
                   OR SEPARATING FROM THE ARMED FORCES WITH 
                   COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND RELATED 
                   ENTITIES.

       Section 570F of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116-92; 10 U.S.C. 1142 note) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subsection (c)--
       (A) by striking ``out the form to indicate an email 
     address'' and inserting the following: ``out the form to 
     indicate--
       ``(1) an email address; and''; and
       (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(2) if the individual would like to opt-out of the 
     transmittal of the individual's information to and through a 
     State veterans agency as described in subsection (a).''; and
       (2) by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
       ``(d) Opt-Out of Information Sharing.--Information on an 
     individual shall be transmitted to and through a State 
     veterans agency as described in subsection (a) unless the 
     individual indicates pursuant to subsection (c)(2) that the 
     individual would like to opt out of such transmittal.''.

[[Page H4036]]

  



         amendment no. 233 offered by mr. westerman of arkansas

       At the end of subtitle D of title XXVIII, insert the 
     following new section:

     SEC. 28__. REMOVAL OF USE CONDITIONS AND CONDITIONS ON 
                   REVERSION FOR THE FORMER ARMY AND NAVY GENERAL 
                   HOSPITAL, HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, HOT 
                   SPRINGS, ARKANSAS.

       (a) Removal of Use Conditions.--Section 3(a) of Public Law 
     86-323 (73 Stat. 594; Sept. 21, 1959) is amended by striking 
     ``as a vocational rehabilitation center or for other public 
     health or educational purposes'' and inserting ``for 
     appropriate purposes, as determined by the Governor of the 
     State of Arkansas''.
       (b) Conditions on Reversion.--
       (1) In general.--Notwithstanding the provisions contained 
     in section 3 of Public Law 86-323 (73 Stat. 594; Sept. 21, 
     1959) any reversionary interest retained by the United States 
     in the Covered Property may be extinguished by occurrence of 
     the following conditions:
       (A) Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the Governor of the State of Arkansas submits to 
     the Secretary of the Army a written request to extinguish any 
     reversionary or other future interest in the surface rights 
     held by the United States in the covered property.
       (B) The Secretary of the Army, in consultation with the 
     Administrator of the General Services Administration and the 
     Secretary of the Interior, concurs in writing with the said 
     request.
       (2) Quitclaim deed.--If the conditions described in 
     paragraph (1) are met, the Secretary of the Army shall 
     extinguish by quitclaim deed any reversionary or other future 
     interest in the surface rights held by the United States in 
     the covered property.
       (3) Rights and interests reserved to the united states.--In 
     exercising the authority under this section, the Secretary of 
     the Army may not convey or extinguish any interests reserved 
     to the United States--
       (A) pursuant to section 2 of Public Law 86-323 (73 Stat. 
     594; Sept. 21, 1959) in--
       (i) all mineral rights (including gas and oil), together 
     with necessary rights of ingress, egress, and surface use; or
       (ii) thermal waters or other hot waters, together with 
     necessary rights of ingress, egress, and surface use; and
       (B) relating to the location, installation, and relocation 
     of utility facilities for such mineral rights, thermal 
     waters, or other hot waters; and
       (C) in the conditions set forth in paragraphs (2) and (3) 
     of the Deed of Conveyance.
       (4) Reversion.--If the Governor of the State of Arkansas 
     does not submit a request described in subsection (b)(2) 
     before the deadline in such subsection, all right, title and 
     interest held by the State of Arkansas in the covered 
     property shall revert to the United States in accordance with 
     section 3 of Public Law 86-323 (73 Stat. 594; Sept. 21, 
     1959).
       (c) Definition.--In this section:
       (1) The term ``covered property'' means the real property 
     conveyed by the Deed of Conveyance pursuant to Public Law 86-
     323 (73 Stat. 594; Sept. 21, 1959).
       (2) The term ``Deed of Conveyance'' means the quitclaim 
     deed between the United States of America and the State of 
     Arkansas dated March 10, 1960, recorded in the land records 
     of the County of Garland, State of Arkansas, at book 480, 
     page 77.


       amendment no. 234 offered by mr. magaziner of rhode island

       At the end of subtitle B of title VII, add the following 
     new section:

     SEC. 7__. IMPROVEMENTS TO TRICARE PROVIDER DIRECTORIES.

       (a) Verification; Updates.--A managed support contractor 
     that supports TRICARE and maintains a directory of health 
     care providers shall verify and update such directory not 
     less than once every 90 days.
       (b) Databases.--A managed support contractor described in 
     subsection (a) shall update a database not later than two 
     days after receipt of information that affects such database.
       (c) Annual Reviews.--The Director of the Defense Health 
     Agency shall review directories described in subsection (a) 
     not less than once each year.

  The CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1287, the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Rogers) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alabama.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to 
support the en bloc package, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I, too, urge Members to adopt the 
en bloc package and yield back the balance of my time.
  The CHAIR. The question is on the amendments en bloc 3 offered by the 
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers).
  The en bloc amendments 3 were agreed to.


Vacating Ordering of Recorded Vote on Amendment No. 47 Offered by Mrs. 
                                  Luna

  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent that the 
request for a recorded vote on amendment No. 47 be withdrawn to the end 
that the amendment stand disposed of by the earlier voice vote thereon.
  The CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from 
Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Mr. Chair, I move that the Committee do now 
rise.
  The motion was agreed to.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Fong) having assumed the chair, Mr. McClintock, Chair of the Committee 
of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that that 
Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 8070) to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2025 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, had 
come to no resolution thereon.

                          ____________________