[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S3437]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6296. Mr. VAN HOLLEN 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 end of subtitle D of title XXVIII, add the 
     following:

     SEC. 2873. MILITARY INSTALLATION STORMWATER PROJECT 
                   ACCELERATION PROGRAM.

       Subchapter I of chapter 169 of title 10, United States 
     Code, is amended by inserting after section 2815a the 
     following new section:

     ``Sec. 2815b. Military Installation Stormwater Project 
       Acceleration Program

       ``(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Office of 
     the Secretary of Defense a program to be known as the 
     `Military Installation Stormwater Project Acceleration 
     Program' (in this section referred to as the `Program').
       ``(b) Purpose.--The Program shall be conducted for the 
     purpose of accelerating the planning for and implementation 
     of projects and other actions on or related to a military 
     installation that are--
       ``(1) addressed in the military installation component of 
     installation master plans developed in accordance with 
     section 2864(c) of this title;
       ``(2) identified as potential military installation 
     projects under section 2815 of this title;
       ``(3) identified for the improvement of stormwater 
     management in accordance with section 2815a of this title; or
       ``(4) identified as suitable to preserve or enhance Defense 
     Access Roads in accordance with section 210 of title 23.
       ``(c) Identification of Projects and Other Actions.--The 
     Secretary of Defense shall establish a merit-based process 
     for identifying projects and other actions suitable for 
     funding through the Program.
       ``(d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall 
     be construed to require or enable any official of the 
     Department of Defense to provide funding under this section 
     pursuant to a community project funding request, as defined 
     in the Rules of the House of Representatives, or a 
     congressionally directed spending item, as defined in the 
     Standing Rules of the Senate.
       ``(e) Annual Reports.--(1) Not later than March 1 of each 
     year, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees 
     on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
     Representatives a report on the Program.
       ``(2) Each report under paragraph (1) shall include the 
     following:
       ``(A) A description of the nature and status of the 
     projects or actions undertaken in whole or part with funds 
     appropriated for the Program.
       ``(B) An assessment of the effectiveness of such projects 
     or actions as part of a long-term strategy--
       ``(i) to prevent flooding on military installations, key 
     supporting civilian infrastructure, and defense access roads; 
     and
       ``(ii) to improve the management of stormwater on or 
     related to a military installation.
       ``(C) An evaluation of the methodology and criteria used to 
     select and to establish priorities for projects and actions 
     funded in whole or part with funds appropriated for the 
     Program.
       ``(D) Such recommendations as the Secretary of Defense 
     considers appropriate for legislative or administrative 
     action to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the 
     Program.''.
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