[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 133 (Friday, August 1, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S5228]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3439. Mr. LANKFORD 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 end of subtitle D of title I, add the following:

     SEC. 142. PROHIBITION ON CERTAIN REDUCTIONS TO INVENTORY OF 
                   E-3 AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM 
                   AIRCRAFT.

       (a) Prohibition.--None of the funds authorized to be 
     appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for 
     fiscal year 2026 for the Air Force may be obligated or 
     expended to retire, prepare to retire, or place in storage or 
     in backup aircraft inventory any E-3 aircraft if such actions 
     would reduce the total aircraft inventory for such aircraft 
     below 16.
       (b) Exception for Plan.--If the Secretary of the Air Force 
     submits to the congressional defense committees a plan for 
     maintaining readiness and ensuring there is no lapse in 
     mission capabilities, the prohibition under subsection (a) 
     shall not apply to actions taken to reduce the total aircraft 
     inventory for E-3 aircraft to below 16, beginning 30 days 
     after the date on which the plan is so submitted.
       (c) Exception for E-7 Aircraft Procurement.--If the 
     Secretary of the Air Force procures enough E-7 Wedgetail 
     aircraft to accomplish the required mission load, the 
     prohibition under subsection (a) shall not apply to actions 
     taken to reduce the total aircraft inventory for E-3 aircraft 
     to below 16 after the date on which such E-7 Wedgetail 
     aircraft are delivered.
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