[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4904-S4905]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2563. Mr. PADILLA submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill S. 4638, 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; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

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

     SEC. 562. IMPLEMENTATION OF GAO RECOMMENDATIONS TO LEVERAGE 
                   PERFORMANCE INFORMATION TO IMPROVE TAP 
                   PARTICIPATION.

       (a) Plan Required.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretaries of the military 
     departments, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of 
     Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, shall develop a 
     plan to address the recommendations in the Government 
     Accountability Office's report entitled ``DOD Can Better 
     Leverage Performance Information to Improve Participation in 
     Counseling Pathways'' (GAO-23-104538).
       (2) Elements.--The plan required under paragraph (1) shall, 
     with respect to each recommendation in the report described 
     in such paragraph that the Secretaries of the military 
     departments, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of 
     Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, have implemented or 
     intend to implement, include--
       (A) a summary of actions that have been or will be taken to 
     implement the recommendation; and
       (B) a schedule, with specific milestones, for completing 
     implementation of the recommendation.
       (b) Submission to Congressional Defense Committees.--Not 
     later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretaries shall submit to the congressional 
     defense committees the plan required under subsection (a).
       (c) Deadline for Implementation.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), not 
     later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretaries shall carry out activities to implement 
     the plan developed under subsection (a).
       (2) Exception for implementation of certain 
     recommendations.--
       (A) Delayed implementation.--The Secretaries may initiate 
     implementation of a recommendation in the report described in 
     subsection (a)(1) after the date specified in paragraph (1) 
     if the Secretaries provide the congressional defense 
     committees with a specific justification for the delay in 
     implementation of the recommendation on or before such date.
       (B) Non-implementation.--The Secretaries may decide not to 
     implement a recommendation in the report described in 
     subsection (a)(1) if the Secretaries provide to the 
     congressional defense committees, on or before the date 
     specified in paragraph (1)--
       (i) a specific justification for the decision not to 
     implement the recommendation; and
       (ii) a summary of alternative actions the Secretaries plan 
     to take to address the conditions underlying the 
     recommendation.
       (d) Semiannual Reporting.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and every 180 days thereafter, the 
     Department of Defense shall report to the congressional 
     defense committees on the progress of the Department of 
     Defense and each of the Military Departments in implementing 
     all outstanding recommendations of the Comptroller General of 
     the United States and the Inspector General of the Department 
     of the Defense related to the Transition Assistance Program 
     and on the use of funds made available for the current fiscal 
     year to implement the outstanding recommendations.
       (2) Termination of requirement.--The Department of Defense 
     shall stop reporting on each recommendation described in 
     paragraph (1) when the recommending office considers the 
     recommendation closed.

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