[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 132 (Thursday, July 31, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S5138]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 3406. Mr. CORNYN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 2296, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2026 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in title II, insert the following:
SEC. 2__. CENTER FOR DUAL USE INNOVATION.
(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish a
center focused on space, aerospace, robotics, and other dual-
use technologies to advance United States technology
development through Federal Government partnership with the
private sector.
(2) Designation.--The center established pursuant to
paragraph (1) shall be known as the ``Center for Dual Use
Innovation'' (in this section the ``Center'').
(3) Elements of center.--The Center shall--
(A) be subordinated and assigned to the Defense Innovation
Unit;
(B) be assigned the necessary staff to execute assigned
functions, roles, and missions;
(C) provide a physical space to enable collaboration
between the private sector and Federal Government entities;
(D) be located in an area with access to innovative
companies, world class universities, and existing commercial
infrastructure;
(E) be located outside of the Washington, District of
Columbia, metro area and outside of the southern part of the
San Francisco Bay Area known as ``Silicon Valley'';
(F) encourage rapid Federal Government uptake of innovative
commercial technologies that advance the national interest;
and
(G) be postured to encourage investment into dual-use
technologies through capital markets of the United States.
(4) Report to congress.--Not later than 90 days after the
establishment of the Center, the Secretary shall submit to
the congressional defense committees a report on the elements
comprising the Center, a strategy for effective community and
industry engagement, and detailed metrics against which the
Center will measure success.
(b) Coordination and Industry Engagement.--
(1) Public-private collaboration.--The Secretary shall
engage with United States manufacturers of dual use
technology, startup companies, commercial space companies,
commercial aerospace companies, commercial robotics
companies, academic institutions, and other relevant
stakeholders to foster innovation and accelerate the
establishment and effective use of the Center.
(2) Coordination.--The Secretary shall coordinate with
heads of agencies and departments across the Federal
Government, as the Secretary considers appropriate, to
encourage participation in the Center and to enable public-
private collaboration across all Federal departments and
agencies with commercial companies developing innovative
products and solutions.
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