[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 133 (Friday, August 1, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5403-S5404]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 3645. Mr. WICKER 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 XV, insert the following:
SEC. 15__. TRANSFER OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES PROGRAM TO
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
(a) Transfer.--Not later than the effective date set forth
in subsection (d), the Director of National Intelligence and
the Secretary of Defense shall take such actions as may be
necessary for the Secretary of Defense to carry out the
Foreign Languages Program, including such transfer of
personnel, assets, and facilities from the Director to the
Secretary as the Director and the Secretary jointly consider
appropriate.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Part III of subtitle A of title
10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new chapter:
``CHAPTER 114--FOREIGN LANGUAGES PROGRAM
``Sec. 2200m. Program on advancement of foreign languages
critical to the Defense Intelligence Enterprise
``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense may carry out a
program to advance skills in foreign languages that are
critical to the capability of the Defense Intelligence
Enterprise to carry out the national security activities of
the United States (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as
the `Foreign Languages Program').
``(b) Identification of Requisite Actions.--In order to
carry out the Foreign Languages Program, the Secretary of
Defense shall identify actions required to improve the
education of personnel in the Defense Intelligence Enterprise
in foreign languages that are critical to the capability of
the Defense Intelligence Enterprise to carry out the national
security activities of the United States and to meet the
long-term intelligence needs of the United States.
``Sec. 2200n. Education partnerships
``(a) In General.--In carrying out the Foreign Languages
Program, the head of a covered element of the Defense
Intelligence Enterprise may enter into one or more education
partnership agreements with educational institutions in the
United States in order to encourage and enhance the study in
such educational institutions of foreign languages that are
critical to the capability of the Defense Intelligence
Enterprise to carry out the national security activities of
the United States.
``(b) Assistance Provided Under Educational Partnership
Agreements.--Under an educational partnership agreement
entered into with an educational institution pursuant to this
section, the head of a covered element of the Defense
Intelligence Enterprise may provide the following assistance
to the educational institution:
``(1) The loan of equipment and instructional materials of
the element of the Defense Intelligence Enterprise to the
educational institution for any purpose and duration that the
head of the element considers appropriate.
``(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law relating
to the transfer of surplus property, the transfer to the
educational institution of any computer equipment, or other
equipment, that is--
``(A) commonly used by educational institutions;
``(B) surplus to the needs of the element of the Defense
Intelligence Enterprise; and
``(C) determined by the head of the element to be
appropriate for support of such agreement.
``(3) The provision of dedicated personnel to the
educational institution--
``(A) to teach courses in foreign languages that are
critical to the capability of the Defense Intelligence
Enterprise to carry out the national security activities of
the United States; or
``(B) to assist in the development for the educational
institution of courses and materials on such languages.
[[Page S5404]]
``(4) The involvement of faculty and students of the
educational institution in research projects of the element
of the Defense Intelligence Enterprise.
``(5) Cooperation with the educational institution in
developing a program under which students receive academic
credit at the educational institution for work on research
projects of the element of the Defense Intelligence
Enterprise.
``(6) The provision of academic and career advice and
assistance to students of the educational institution.
``(7) The provision of cash awards and other items that the
head of the element of the Defense Intelligence Enterprise
considers appropriate.
``Sec. 2200o. Voluntary services
``(a) Authority to Accept Services.--Notwithstanding
section 1342 of title 31, and subject to subsection (b), the
Foreign Languages Program under section 2200m shall include
authority for the head of a covered element of the Defense
Intelligence Enterprise to accept from any dedicated
personnel voluntary services in support of the activities
authorized by this subtitle.
``(b) Requirements and Limitations.--(1) In accepting
voluntary services from an individual under subsection (a),
the head of a covered element of the Defense Intelligence
Enterprise shall--
``(A) supervise the individual to the same extent as the
head of the element would supervise a compensated employee of
that element providing similar services; and
``(B) ensure that the individual is licensed, privileged,
has appropriate educational or experiential credentials, or
is otherwise qualified under applicable law or regulations to
provide such services.
``(2) In accepting voluntary services from an individual
under subsection (a), the head of a covered element of the
Defense Intelligence Enterprise may not--
``(A) place the individual in a policymaking position, or
other position performing inherently governmental functions;
or
``(B) compensate the individual for the provision of such
services.
``(c) Authority to Recruit and Train Individuals Providing
Services.--The head of a covered element of the Defense
Intelligence Enterprise may recruit and train individuals to
provide voluntary services under subsection (a).
``(d) Status of Individuals Providing Services.--(1)
Subject to paragraph (2), while providing voluntary services
under subsection (a) or receiving training under subsection
(c), an individual shall be considered to be an employee of
the Federal Government only for purposes of the following
provisions of law:
``(A) Section 552a of title 5 (relating to maintenance of
records on individuals).
``(B) Chapter 11 of title 18 (relating to conflicts of
interest).
``(2)(A) With respect to voluntary services under paragraph
(1) provided by an individual that are within the scope of
the services accepted under that paragraph, the individual
shall be deemed to be a volunteer of a governmental entity or
nonprofit institution for purposes of the Volunteer
Protection Act of 1997 (42 U.S.C. 14501 et seq.).
``(B) In the case of any claim against such an individual
with respect to the provision of such services, section 4(d)
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 14503(d)) shall not apply.
``(3) Acceptance of voluntary services under this section
shall have no bearing on the issuance or renewal of a
security clearance.
``(e) Reimbursement of Incidental Expenses.--(1) The head
of a covered element of the Defense Intelligence Enterprise
may reimburse an individual for incidental expenses incurred
by the individual in providing voluntary services under
subsection (a). The head of a covered element of the Defense
Intelligence Enterprise shall determine which expenses are
eligible for reimbursement under this subsection.
``(2) Reimbursement under paragraph (1) may be made from
appropriated or nonappropriated funds.
``(f) Authority to Install Equipment.--(1) The head of a
covered element of the Defense Intelligence Enterprise may
install telephone lines and any necessary telecommunication
equipment in the private residences of individuals who
provide voluntary services under subsection (a).
``(2) The head of a covered element of the Defense
Intelligence Enterprise may pay the charges incurred for the
use of equipment installed under paragraph (1) for authorized
purposes.
``(3) Notwithstanding section 1348 of title 31, United
States Code, the head of a covered element of the Defense
Intelligence Enterprise may use appropriated funds or
nonappropriated funds of the element in carrying out this
subsection.
``Sec. 2200p. Regulations
``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe
regulations to carry out the Foreign Languages Program.
``(b) Elements of the Defense Intelligence Enterprise.--The
head of each covered element of the Defense Intelligence
Enterprise shall prescribe regulations to carry out sections
2200n and 2200o with respect to that element including the
following:
``(1) Procedures to be utilized for the acceptance of
voluntary services under section 2200o.
``(2) Procedures and requirements relating to the
installation of equipment under section 2200o(f).
``Sec. 2200q. Definitions
``In this chapter:
``(1) The term `covered element of the Defense Intelligence
Enterprise' means an agency, office, bureau, or element
referred to in subparagraph (B) of section 426(b)(4) of this
title.
``(2) The term `dedicated personnel' means employees of the
Defense Intelligence Enterprise and private citizens
(including former civilian employees of the Federal
Government who have been voluntarily separated, and members
of the United States Armed Forces who have been honorably
discharged, honorably separated, or generally discharged
under honorable circumstances and rehired on a voluntary
basis specifically to perform the activities authorized under
this subtitle).
``(3) The term `Defense Intelligence Enterprise' has the
meaning given such term in section 426(b)(4) of this title.
``(4) The term `educational institution' means--
``(A) a local educational agency (as that term is defined
in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965);
``(B) an institution of higher education (as defined in
section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1002) other than institutions referred to in subsection
(a)(1)(C) of such section); or
``(C) any other nonprofit institution that provides
instruction of foreign languages in languages that are
critical to the capability of the Defense Intelligence
Enterprise to carry out national security activities of the
United States.''.
(c) Conforming Repeals.--
(1) Conforming amendments.--Title X of the National
Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3191 et seq.) is amended by
striking subtitle B (50 U.S.C. 3201 et seq.).
(2) Clerical amendments.--The table of contents for such
Act, in the matter preceding section 2 of such Act, is
amended by striking the items relating to subtitle B of title
X.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act.
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