[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S2902]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 5835. Ms. ROSEN (for herself and Mr. Cramer) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 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 C of title V, add the following:

     SEC. 529E. COMBAT STATUS IDENTIFIER EQUIVALENT FOR REMOTELY 
                   PILOTED AIRCRAFT CREW.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries of the military 
     departments, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans 
     Affairs, shall establish a status identifier or equivalent 
     recognition to denote the combat participation of remotely 
     piloted aircraft (RPA) crew members who conduct operations in 
     direct support of combat missions. The identifier shall be 
     designed to enable appropriate consideration by the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs in the administration of 
     benefits and services that account for combat-related 
     service, consistent with how traditional combat designators 
     are treated.
       (b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
     construed to require the Department of Defense to categorize 
     service described in subsection (a) as equivalent to service 
     involving physical presence in a combat zone.
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