[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S2908]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 5850. Mr. CRUZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him 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 appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. LIMITATION AND REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO 
                   EXPEDITIONARY COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADES.

       (a) Limitation.--None of the funds authorized to be 
     appropriated or otherwise made available for any of fiscal 
     years 2027 through 2031 for the Army may be obligated or 
     expended to retire, deactivate, schedule to deactivate, or 
     proceed with any other action that would reduce the aircraft, 
     capabilities, resources, or personnel available, as of the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, for the Expeditionary 
     Combat Aviation Brigades unless the Secretary of the Army 
     submits to the congressional defense committees--
       (1) a certification that the Secretary of the Army plans to 
     recapitalize any such aircraft for the Expeditionary Combat 
     Aviation Brigades and to otherwise restore any such 
     capabilities, resources, or personnel levels reduced; and
       (2) the plan of the Secretary of the Army for the actions 
     specified in paragraph (1).
       (b) Requirement to Restore.--
       (1) Requirement.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, for any Expeditionary Combat 
     Aviation Brigade that, prior to such date of enactment, the 
     Secretary of the Army retired or deactivated (or carried out 
     any other activity to reduce the aircraft, capabilities, 
     resources, or personnel thereof), the Secretary of the Army 
     shall reinstate or reactivate such brigade, or otherwise 
     restore such brigade to the levels preceding such reduction, 
     as the case may be.
       (2) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit 
     to the congressional defense committees a report on the 
     implementation of this subsection.
       (c) Plan Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall 
     submit to the congressional defense committees a plan to 
     sustain and modernize the aircraft used by the Expeditionary 
     Combat Aviation Brigades.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Department of the Army for the 
     operation of aircraft, and training for such operation, by 
     the Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigades $35,000,000 for 
     fiscal year 2027.
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