[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9164-9232]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2016


                             General Leave

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 2685 and that I may 
include tabular material on the same.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 303 and rule 
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House 
on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 2685.
  The Chair appoints the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) to preside over 
the Committee of the Whole.

                              {time}  1545


                     In the Committee of the Whole

  Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the 
Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill 
(H.R. 2685) making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, and for other purposes, with Mr. 
Poe in the chair.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the 
first time.
  The gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen) and the gentleman 
from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  As I rise to present the House Appropriations Committee's 
recommendation for the fiscal year 2016 Department of Defense 
Appropriations bill, there are nearly 200,000 servicemen and -women 
serving abroad, doing the work of freedom on every continent, and there 
are many more at home who are serving in every one of our States--
Active, Guard and Reserve--all volunteers. We are grateful to them and 
their families.
  They are certainly not all experts in some of the language and terms 
that will be part of our vocabulary during this debate over the next 24 
hours--phrases like ``sequester'' and ``continuing resolution,'' 
``Budget Control Act,'' ``overseas contingency account,'' and the 
``global war on terrorism account''--but they have every expectation 
that they will have our united, bipartisan support for this bill 
whether they serve aboard a ship, fly through airspace, or provide 
overwatch on land to support a military mission. This legislation was 
developed after 12 hearings, many briefings, travel to the Middle East 
and Europe, and countless staff hours, with those who serve us, 
military and civilian, very much in mind.
  This is a product of a very bipartisan and cooperative effort, for 
which I thank my good friend, the ranking member, Pete Visclosky. It 
has been a pleasure to work with him. We are both fortunate to have 
committee members who are engaged and committed so much to this 
product. We are grateful for the support of Chairman Rogers and Ranking 
Member Lowey.
  In total, the bill provides just over $578 billion in discretionary 
spending, an increase of $24.4 billion over the fiscal year 2015 
enacted level. This topline includes $88.4 billion in the global war on 
terrorism funding for war efforts, and it is at the level assumed in 
the House-Senate budget conference agreement. I would point out that 
our House total is very close to the number President Obama submitted 
in his fiscal year 2016 budget request for national defense. Of course, 
the base funding recommendation is just over $490 billion, which 
reflects the budget caps enacted in 2011 as part of the Budget Control 
Act, signed by President Obama.
  To reach our reduced allocation, we reviewed in detail the 
President's submission and found areas and programs where reductions 
were possible without harming military operations, warfighter 
readiness, or critical modernization efforts. Please be assured we made 
every dollar count. To do so, we have taken reductions from programs 
that have been restructured or terminated, subject to contract or 
schedule delays, contain unjustified cost increases or funding 
requested ahead of need, or because of historical underexecution and 
rescissions of unneeded funds.
  Of course, our bill keeps faith with our troops and their families by 
including a 2.3 percent pay increase, a full percentage above the 
President's own request. It also provides general funding to their 
benefits and critical defense health programs. In another key area, 
this package contains robust funding to counter serious worldwide cyber 
threats--now an everyday occurrence.
  But I think we would all agree that the world is a much more 
dangerous, unstable, and unpredictable place than it was in 2011 when 
the Budget Control Act was signed into law by President

[[Page 9165]]

Obama. The budget caps developed back then could never have envisioned 
the emerging and evolving threats that we are seeing today in the 
Middle East, North Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and elsewhere.
  So, to respond to current and future threats and to meet our 
constitutional responsibilities to provide for the common defense, we 
developed, in a bipartisan way, a bill that adheres to the current law 
and provides additional resources to end catastrophic cuts to military 
programs and people. These additional resources are included in title 
IX, the global war on terrorism account. That account has been 
carefully vetted to assure its war-related uses.
  Our subcommittee scrubbed the President's base budget for this year 
and past budget requests, and it has identified those systems and 
programs that are absolutely connected to our ongoing fight against 
threats presented by ISIL, al Qaeda, al-Nusrah, the Khorasan Group, 
Boko Haram, and other radical terrorist organizations, including the 
Iranian Quds Force.
  We also projected what resources the military and intelligence 
community will need to meet ongoing challenges of nation-state 
aggressors like Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and others. Not 
surprisingly, we have heard objections about the use of title IX to 
boost our topline national security spending in this bill. Frankly, I 
do not believe there is anyone on either side of the Capitol who 
believes this should be our first go-to option. Rather, it is a process 
we undertake as a last resort to make sure our troops can answer the 
call amid a worsening threat environment around the world.
  Again, we have been very careful about what went into this global war 
on terrorism account. We resisted the temptation to simply transfer 
large portions of the base bill's operations and maintenance accounts 
into the global war on terrorism account. We painstakingly worked to 
provide needed resources for the preparation of our forces in the field 
whenever a crisis may exist or develop in the future, like the current 
unfolding disaster which is Iraq.
  In a recent Statement of Administration Policy, the White House 
asserted that the global war on terrorism funding--the old OCO account, 
the overseas contingency account--in their words is a ``funding 
mechanism intended to pay for wars.'' I could not agree more, and that 
is why we enforce that account to provide President Obama with the 
funding resources he needs to lead us as Commander in Chief. Within 
that account, I want to highlight two areas of critical importance--ISR 
and readiness.
  We believe that a strong intelligence, surveillance, and 
reconnaissance--ISR--capability is a critical component of the global 
war on terror; yet a succession of combatant commanders has testified 
before our committee that only a fraction of their ISR requirements is 
being met, in essence, leaving them blind to the enemy's activities, 
movements, and intentions. Accordingly, the global war on terrorism 
account contains an additional $500 million above the President's 2016 
request to improve our ISR capabilities: the procurement of additional 
ISR aircraft and ground stations, the training of ISR pilots and other 
personnel, and the processing of that type of derived data.
  Likewise, we share the concern of the Army, Air Force, and Marines 
about the overall erosion of readiness in the force. So, to begin to 
reinvest in readiness, title IX includes an additional $2.5 billion 
above the President's request for this purpose to be distributed to all 
of our services and to the Guard and Reserves. I would add that this 
sum must be detailed and justified to Congress 30 days before it is 
spent.
  Again, this bill is structured to give the President the tools he 
needs to act. For example, when he finally does develop a long-awaited, 
complete, and comprehensive strategy to combat ISIL and other terrorist 
groups, we have provided in this bill the resources he will need to 
execute his plans. I think we would all agree that America must lead, 
and this bill enables leadership.
  Mr. Chairman, I will allow myself a closing thought:
  The Washington Post recently editorialized on the defense 
authorization bill: ``There isn't much bipartisan governance left in 
Washington, but if anything fits that description, it's probably the 
annual defense bill.''
  Mr. Chairman, this bill deserves bipartisan support, and after many 
hours of productive debate, I look forward to a bipartisan vote. Our 
troops deserve it. Our national security requires it. Our adversaries 
need to see it.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
    

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  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I would like to begin by expressing my appreciation to my good 
friend, Chairman Frelinghuysen, and to congratulate him on the 
collegial and the transparent manner in which he has crafted this 
legislation.
  I also want to express my sincere appreciation for the efforts of 
Chairman Hal Rogers, Ranking Member Nita Lowey, and of all the members 
of the Defense Subcommittee.
  This bill, obviously, could not have been written without the 
dedication, long hours, discerning judgment, and thoughtful input of 
our committee staff and personal staffs. I thank them very much.
  The chairman has fully and fairly described the bill we are 
considering today. I believe he has accurately described the very 
dangerous and unpredictable world in which we live. As such, I will 
enter my detailed comments on the bill for the Record. Instead, I want 
to use my time during general debate to discuss the albatross around 
Congress' neck--the Budget Control Act of 2011.
  Despite near universal disdain and plenty of buyer's remorse from the 
187 current House Members who voted in favor of the Budget Control Act, 
it has proven to be an extremely resilient--yet utterly ineffective--
piece of law. We have seen short postponements of sequestration. We 
have seen 2-year alleviations of the budget caps. Yet we find ourselves 
nearly 5 years since its enactment far from the consensus needed to 
repeal the law. Further, the continued halfhearted attempts to fix the 
Budget Control Act are almost as detrimental to the law, itself, as 
they add to the Nation's uncertainty.
  Additionally, it is becoming increasingly difficult to point to any 
positive changes in our fiscal situation as a result. While intended to 
reduce the budget deficit through spending limits and reductions, our 
national debt has increased by 24.5 percent since the enactment of the 
legislation, mainly because the committees that are not truly 
constrained by discretionary spending caps continue to push politically 
popular legislation with little regard for its impact on the Federal 
budget.
  For example, in April of this year, Congress passed legislation that 
permanently fixed the longstanding issues with Medicare's payment rates 
for physician services. According to the Congressional Budget Office, 
this fix will result in a $141 billion increase in Federal budget 
deficits over the next 10 years; yet the measure sailed through both 
Houses of Congress with very little opposition, and it was greeted by a 
cheerful signing statement at the White House. After 17 temporary 
measures, it is clear that a permanent doctor fix was long overdue. 
However, I believe it illustrates my larger point that we are nowhere 
close to having a sincere conversation about our deficits while 
nondiscretionary spending and a lack of revenue continue to, largely, 
get a free pass.
  Until the President and Congress stop whistling past the graveyard 
and confront the continued growth and mandatory spending, while 
simultaneously increasing revenues, our committee--the Appropriations 
Committee--has no choice but to carry out the implausible mandate 
contained in the Budget Control Act and try to control deficits with 
jurisdiction over only 34 percent of one half of the Federal Ledger.
  It does not help, I fear, that a majority of our colleagues have no 
idea when the fiscal year starts except that that is when you shut the 
government down. I despair that most think continuing resolutions are 
the norm and that sequestration is not all that bad, and that there is 
some delight every time a civilian Federal employee is furloughed. To 
me, all are symptoms of failure.

                              {time}  1600

  The time we have caused people to waste by not finishing Congress' 
work on time, enacting innumerable continuing resolutions, and 
vacillating from one top line to another is deplorable. Whether it is a 
Federal agency, a State, other political subdivisions, a nonprofit 
organization, contractors, or an allied nation all have been less 
efficient in recent years because of the constant uncertainty 
surrounding the Federal Government's finances.
  To illustrate, in nearly every fiscal year since the Budget Control 
Act's enactment, there have been attempts to alter the caps on defense 
and nondefense spending. Two years ago, the House and Senate had 
allocations that were $91 billion apart, yet the suballocation for 
defense was only about $4 billion as far as a difference. Both were in 
excess of the caps. Needless to say, we ended up at a point somewhere 
between the two, but only after we wasted an incredible amount of time, 
and shut down the Federal Government.
  While not a mirror image of 2 years ago, the fiscal year 2016 process 
is careening toward a similar fate. This fiscal year, the President got 
the process started by submitting a budget request that did not comply 
with the limitations mandated by the Budget Control Act across all 
budgeted fiscal years. The majority party's response to the President 
was to pass a budget resolution that purports to abide by the caps for 
fiscal year 2016 for defense and nondefense discretionary spending, yet 
evades the defense cap by proposing $38 billion above the President's 
budget request for overseas contingency operations--for purposes of 
this act, the global war on terror. Despite the objections of the 
Secretary of Defense, this additional funding was further entrenched by 
the recently passed fiscal year 2016 National Defense Authorization 
Act.
  There is no question that Presidents Bush and Obama, the Department 
of Defense, and Congress have been complicit since 2001 in using 
emergency war funding to resource enduring requirements for the 
military. For the past few years, despite the constraints of the Budget 
Control Act, the Defense Subcommittee, led by my good friend Chairman 
Frelinghuysen, has begun to make strides in limiting what is an 
eligible expense for OCO and shift activities to the base budget; and 
he is doing exactly the right thing. This was done because it is 
increasingly difficult, after 14 years, to argue that this operational 
tempo for our military is a contingency and not the new normal in 
defending our great Nation and our interests.
  Needless to say, I find the increased reliance on contingency funding 
very troubling--and not because I object to providing additional funds 
for the Department of Defense. I agree with the Department, and I agree 
with the chairman that sticking to the caps for defense spending would 
necessitate our forces assuming unreasonable risk in carrying out our 
national defense strategy.
  But at the same time, Mr. Chairman, we need a strong nation as well 
as a strong defense. We cannot continue to let our country deteriorate, 
with interstate bridges that collapse and kill our citizens, meaningful 
scientific research that atrophies, and a population whose educational 
attainment falls further and further behind.
  Looking ahead, only the most Pollyannaish among us fails to see that 
we will be in the throes of another crisis in December. Our time, our 
staff's time, Congress' time, the country's time should not be wasted 
any longer. The President of the United States and the leaders of both 
parties of both Houses ought to start meaningful negotiations now so 
that they can conclude before October 1 to allow this great committee, 
the Committee on Appropriations, to again do the business of the 
country in an orderly, thoughtful, and timely fashion.
  I stress, this is not an issue of process. Congress should not be 
searching for ways to alter the process in order to avoid making hard 
decisions on an annual basis. This is a matter of will, and we need to 
use the power of the purse to its fullest.
  I expressed a number of concerns, but I would close, relative to the 
legislation before us, given the constraints that this committee faces, 
by observing that Chairman Frelinghuysen and the subcommittee have done 
an exceptional job in putting this bill together.

[[Page 9176]]

In particular, the chairman has been meticulous with the $37.5 billion 
added to title IX of this bill. He has avoided the easy path. Rather, 
he has painstakingly worked to provide the needed resources for the 
preparation of our forces in the field. Further, the chair was very 
thoughtful in his construction of the base portion of the bill, and I 
believe it and the report provide the stability needed for our military 
personnel--as the chairman emphasized, its readiness--and it preserves 
our industrial base.
  I close by indicating I look forward to the debates on the 
amendments.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman 
from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the chairman of the full committee.
  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I thank the chairman for yielding.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this Defense Appropriations bill.
  The demands on our military are high. We are confronted with 
escalating Russian and Chinese aggression, threats from ISIL and other 
Islamic terrorist groups, burgeoning nuclear programs in countries like 
North Korea, and ongoing war in Syria, Yemen, Libya, and other places. 
We just don't know what may sprout up next.
  But in the face of this uncertainty, we can ensure that our military 
forces are ready and able to meet whatever challenges may arise. We can 
make very sure that our troops and commanders have the tools and 
support that they need to protect this great Nation and our way of 
life.
  To this end, the bill provides $578.6 billion in discretionary 
funding. That is $24.4 billion above last year's level and includes 
$88.4 billion to ensure that we can meet the needs of our military as 
they fight the global war on terrorism.
  This level of funding complies with the caps set by the Budget 
Control Act, as well as the House-passed Defense Authorization bill. 
Within this total, the bill prioritizes military readiness, providing 
$219 billion for operation and maintenance programs that keep our 
troops trained and prepared to respond quickly and decisively.
  The bill also provides priority funding to ensure that our Armed 
Forces are supplied with the equipment and the weapons that they need 
to conduct successful military operations.
  Mr. Chairman, our military is the best in the world, and this bill 
ensures that it stays that way. We invest $67.9 billion in research and 
development that will keep us on the cutting edge of defense technology 
and enable us to meet a wide range of future threats to our security.
  But our military is nothing without the brave men and women in 
uniform who sacrifice so much in their service to this Nation. We must 
keep morale high and provide for the health and well-being of our 
warfighters and their families. So the bill includes a 2.3 percent pay 
raise for our troops. That is more than the President requested.
  The bill contains $31.7 billion for the Defense Health Program to 
meet all estimated needs this year. This funding includes important 
increases above the President's request for things like cancer 
research, traumatic brain injury and psychological health research, and 
suicide prevention outreach.
  I am proud, Mr. Chairman, that this appropriations bill accomplishes 
all of this but also takes important steps to streamline spending at 
the Pentagon, ensuring that no dollar goes to waste and that we live 
within our means.
  I want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and his subcommittee staff and 
members and his very trusted ranking member for their good bipartisan 
teamwork on this bill. The chairman and ranking member demonstrated 
ironclad commitment to our troops and to the security of this Nation 
with this bill. I would also like to acknowledge the hard-working 
staff, Mr. Chairman. They spent many, many hours preparing this bill 
for consideration by us today.
  Mr. Chairman, above all else--above all else--we must provide for the 
national defense of the United States. Nothing can exist--not our 
domestic government, not our private enterprise, not our freedoms--
without ensuring that that basic need is met.
  Our national security is far too important to fall victim to 
political games. We can't risk having an underfunded military during 
these uncertain times, and our troops deserve unfailing, unanimous 
support as they lay their lives on the line. No political games on this 
bill, Mr. Chairman. This is for real.
  I urge Members to support this bill. These are bipartisan priorities 
addressed in a bipartisan way, and I want to see that our colleagues 
send a strong message to our military showing our support and our 
willingness to sacrifice for them. I urge support of this bill on this 
floor.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from New York (Mrs. Lowey), the ranking member of the full committee.
  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Chair, I would like to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen, 
Ranking Member Visclosky, and Chairman Rogers for their efforts. I 
particularly want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member 
Visclosky for working in such a cooperative manner.
  However, the two parties remain very far apart in their approach to 
the appropriations process. Our differences were plainly evident during 
consideration of the fiscal year 2016 budget resolution. Not one of my 
Democratic colleagues supported the majority's budget because it 
maintained sequestration levels. As the President said: the majority 
has returned our economy to the same top-down economics that has failed 
us before and slashes investments in the middle class that we need to 
grow the economy.
  During debate on the previous five appropriations bills, my majority 
colleagues argued strenuously that allocations at the sequester level 
were nonnegotiable. They argued our committee was hamstrung by the 
Budget Control Act and that we were powerless to renegotiate another 
sequester relief package, as had been done under the Murray-Ryan 
agreement 2 years ago. At the same time, others on our committee told 
the press that ``pressure would build'' to address sequestration or 
pass a continuing resolution because sequester-level bills cannot be 
enacted.
  The Defense bill before us appears to be operating under a different 
set of rules, with funding over the magical sequester level, a level we 
were told was the law of the land. It was not cut below the President's 
request, as were all the other nondefense bills. By using $38 billion 
in overseas contingency operations funding to plug the hole created by 
the budget caps, this bill fully funds defense programs and avoids the 
inadequacies facing the other bills.
  Let me be very, very clear. I am not making a case that the Defense 
bill is too high or advocating that it should be reduced. We live in a 
very dangerous world. We need to attend to our defense, but we should 
do so in a responsible fashion.

                              {time}  1615

  Our military leaders have discouraged the use of the overseas 
contingency operations/global war on terror budget to fund regular 
defense costs. They contend that doing so undermines the Defense 
Department's ability to plan over the long term. Funding $38 billion of 
the Pentagon's regular base budget activities with war funds creates 
future-year budget caps that would be difficult to fill.
  This practice irresponsibly addresses only one of the budget 
imperatives, creating clear losers in most of the other appropriation 
bills.
  If this bill were to move forward as is, I fear my majority 
colleagues would mentally move on; the urgency facing the entire 
appropriations process would fade because we have ``taken care of'' our 
national security needs.
  That, my friends, is a dangerous strategy, especially given that we 
know none of these bills are likely to be signed into law by the 
President as they are currently written.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Rodney Davis of Illinois). The time of the 
gentlewoman has expired.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey) an 
additional 1 minute.

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  Mrs. LOWEY. We can deal with that fact now or deal with it again over 
the holidays, but we are going to have to deal with it.
  Members of the armed services and their families live in every one of 
our communities. They drive on crowded highways and over crumbling 
bridges. Most of them send their kids to public schools.
  These families expect the meat and products they buy to be safe and 
the airplanes in which they fly to be protected. If they should ever 
get sick, they need to have the biomedical research in place so that 
safe and effective treatments are available to them.
  These are reasonable expectations. What is not reasonable is to put 
forward several annual spending bills that mindlessly cut these 
priorities simply because we can't agree on a reasonable budget.
  National security and economic strength are inextricably linked. 
Let's get back to the table and set realistic spending caps to provide 
what is needed both for our national security and to create jobs, 
improve infrastructure, fund biomedical research, and grow the economy.
  Let's get together. Let's vote ``no'' on this bill and move on.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, how much time remains on each side?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey has 15\1/2\ minutes 
remaining, and the gentleman from Indiana has 14\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to 
the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Crenshaw), a member of the Defense 
Appropriations Committee and a member of my subcommittee.
  Mr. CRENSHAW. I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen for yielding.
  I want to say a special word of thanks to Chairman Frelinghuysen and 
Ranking Member Visclosky for the hard work they have put into bringing 
the bill before us today. I think, arguably, this is the most important 
issue we face every year.
  Last year, I pointed out the fact that I think the number one 
responsibility of the Federal Government is to protect American lives, 
and we work to do that every day. We talked about the fact that the 
best way to keep America safe is to keep America strong. I think that, 
if you look back, here we are a year later, and not much has changed.
  National security is still a critical element of what we do here. 
Back home in northeast Florida, the constituents that I represent are 
greatly concerned about national security. They are greatly concerned 
about the men and women in uniform and greatly concerned that they will 
have the necessary resources to accomplish their mission successfully 
and return home safely.
  They are also concerned that we don't get caught up in the politics 
of the moment and lose sight of the fact that we have a constitutional 
responsibility to provide for the common defense.
  I just want to say in closing, Mr. Chairman, that, when we look at 
the ever-increasing dangerous world that we live in, I think we have to 
meet these challenges head on.
  I want to remind my colleagues that most of everything that we have 
accomplished as a great nation, we have accomplished with the 
foundation built on national security. This bill moves us forward down 
that path.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), a member of the subcommittee.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Chairman, I rise in reluctant opposition to this 
bill.
  Please allow me to acknowledge the tremendous work of Chairman 
Frelinghuysen, Ranking Member Visclosky, and the Appropriations staff 
in moving this Defense bill forward.
  This bill deserves better treatment by the leadership of this House 
than to have it cloaked in unfinished budget wrangling that could force 
future changes harmful to the defense of our Nation.
  The bill before us funds key priorities, such as assuring the 
strongest, most agile and resilient military on Earth; securing base 
and operational independence through energy innovation; improving 
defense health for the lives of our military and civilian forces; 
advancing cutting-edge research at our defense labs to improve 
efficiency on the battlefield and drive technology transfer to the 
private sector to grow our economy; and maintaining and upgrading 
essential defense facilities across our Nation and globe.
  Moving forward, our Nation must still address lingering veteran 
unemployment of over half a million Americans, according to the Bureau 
of Labor Statistics. A majority are 45 years of age or older, but over 
200,000 are between the ages of 18 and 44.
  The capabilities of our National Guard can be leveraged to address 
this imperative, engaging their talents to meet domestic needs.
  Globally, too, as leader of the free world, the United States holds a 
special responsibility to uphold commitments made in the Budapest 
Memorandum to Ukraine and our allies in Central Europe. This was 
recently reaffirmed by President Obama and German Chancellor Merkel at 
the G7 summit.
  A threat to liberty anywhere is a threat to liberty everywhere. 
Russia's invasion of Ukraine cannot be tolerated. Tough sanctions on 
Russia and enforcement of the Ukraine Freedom Support Act lay the base 
for liberty's advance.
  Those Members who in good conscience ultimately will vote ``no'' on 
this measure will do so to fight for a responsible budget plan that not 
only meets the needs of our men and women in uniform, but builds up the 
Nation and citizenry they are fighting to protect.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Palazzo), a member of the Appropriation Committee, for 
the purpose of a colloquy.
  Mr. PALAZZO. Chairman Frelinghuysen, I would like to thank you and 
your staff for all your hard work in crafting this Defense 
Appropriations bill.
  As a marine veteran, a current member of the Mississippi National 
Guard, and a former member of the House Armed Services Committee, I 
fully understand the importance of this legislation.
  Mr. Chairman, as you well know, the United States Navy and Marine 
Corps are the Nation's forward-deployed, fast-response force in times 
of crisis. The ability to respond to all types of conflict, as well as 
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, is what separates the 
United States Navy and the Marine Corps team from the rest of the 
world.
  However, as a result of declining resources, the Navy has struggled 
to reach its own stated goal of 306 ships. A not-insignificant portion 
of this fleet consists of amphibious ships to support the requirements 
of the Marine Corps.
  The current number of amphibious ships in the fleet does not meet 
validated national requirements to accomplish the tasks the Marine 
Corps is responsible to carry out in time of war or national emergency; 
this is the very Marine Corps that is tasked to be the most ready when 
our Nation is the least ready.
  I know this issue also concerns you, and I request your thoughts on 
how we might get our Navy shipbuilding program back on track.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I thank the gentleman for his remarks and concerns 
and for his own military service. I share his concern.
  The gentleman is correct. The Navy has been struggling to maintain 
its shipbuilding program for many years. Despite a requirement for 306 
ships, the Navy's fleet has seemed to reach a plateau of about 285 
ships for the last several years.
  It is our responsibility to work with you and the Navy to ensure that 
our sailors and marines have the finest ships and equipment this Nation 
can provide.
  Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working closely with you 
on this important issue. I can tell you I know where the finest 
warships are built by the finest craftsmen, that is right there in 
Mississippi's Fourth Congressional District.

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  I look forward to continuing to work with you on this important 
issue.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I thank the gentleman for his passion and his 
remarks.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota 
(Ms. McCollum), a member of the subcommittee.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chair, for more than a decade, this House has been 
committed to providing our troops with the body armor they need. Body 
armor is essential to our deployed troops.
  In order to provide our troops with modern, lightweight body armor, 
the Department requires a viable industrial base to produce the body 
armor and to continually work to improve it.
  The fiscal year 2015 NDAA Defense Appropriations bill sustaining the 
industrial base was prioritized; $80 million was appropriated to the 
Army to specifically sustain the industrial base for body armor.
  Those FY15 funds have not been obligated, and as a result, the 
industrial base for body armor is laying off workers and about to go 
out of business. The Army has ignored Congress' directions and put this 
industry at risk.
  The FY16 Defense Appropriations report makes a commitment to body 
armor, saying:

       The committee encourages the Secretary of the Army to 
     ensure that the body armor industrial base is able to 
     continue to develop and manufacture more advanced body armor.

  Unfortunately, the supplier of boron carbide powder to make armor 
plates will be out of business before this bill is enacted. 
Furthermore, this bill provides zero funds for the procurement of body 
armor, another blow to the industrial base.
  We all share a strong commitment to our troops, fully understanding 
how important body armor is to soldier protection.
  To the chairman and ranking member, I would like to work with you to 
ensure that the existing body armor industrial base is not driven out 
of business by the Army's inability to follow directions from Congress 
and mismanagement of this vital supply chain.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Kentucky (Mr. Barr).
  Mr. BARR. I thank the chairman for yielding.
  I rise today to echo the concerns expressed by my colleague across 
the aisle from Minnesota in concern for our Nation's warfighters and 
our military base.
  As you know, the FY15 NDAA authorized and the FY15 Defense 
Appropriations bill provided $80 million for a body armor industrial 
base initiative in the Army's operations and maintenance program. 
However, the U.S. Army is not properly utilizing the appropriated funds 
in the manner Congress intended.
  Congress has been clear on this matter. Report language for both the 
FY15 and FY16 Defense Appropriations measure demonstrates that the 
importance of body armor is critical to protecting our soldiers in 
combat.
  Because of the Army's repurposing of these funds at odds with 
congressional intent and the safety of our troops, the Army and the 
U.S. body armor industry will lose the unique capability critical for 
meeting high-tech U.S. lightweight body armor standards.
  After the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we must rehabilitate and 
replace used body armor to ensure the readiness and the safety of our 
troops in the field if they are called to serve in another conflict.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I yield the gentleman an additional 15 seconds.
  Mr. BARR. If we do not act now to ensure that the body armor 
industrial base is able to continue the development and manufacturing 
of more advanced lightweight body armor, there will not be a capable 
body armor industrial base left in the future to fund.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Thompson) for the purpose of a colloquy.
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. I thank Ranking Member Visclosky for 
giving me the opportunity to discuss something that will assist in our 
natural disaster response.
  The Air National Guard employs advanced capabilities to assist in 
civil search and rescue operations during natural disasters and is 
capable of locating and rescuing people where civilian authorities 
cannot.
  The Air National Guard uses sophisticated technology to assist in 
time-sensitive emergency operations, including the AS-4 Pod, which 
includes wide-area infrared sensors optimized for survivor detection, 
integrated communications, and specialized radar for maritime, flood, 
and swift water recovery.
  Lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina, the California wildfires, and 
Superstorm Sandy highlight the need to outfit the Air National Guard 
with this important capability. I hope you will consider adding this 
vital piece of equipment to the list of equipment considered for 
priority purchasing with the use of the National Guard and Reserve 
equipment account, which is governed by this legislation.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. THOMPSON of California. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I want to thank the gentleman from California for 
bringing this to our attention. We look forward to working with you on 
this important issue as we move forward with the legislation.

                              {time}  1630

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield to the 
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers) for the purpose of a colloquy. He 
is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces of the Armed 
Services Committee.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey, the 
distinguished chairman of the Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, for 
his work to bring this important bill to the floor.
  Mr. Chair, this legislation includes billions of dollars to programs 
that are vital to the Nation's security and the men and women who have 
volunteered to serve our Nation.
  However, I do have a question regarding a recommended reduction of 
$61 million from the Missile Defense Agency request for the Redesigned 
Kill Vehicle.
  Does the gentleman share my belief that this is a critically 
important program, and that it, and the 2020 goal for deployment of 
this capability, are vital to a robust and reliable national missile 
defense system, which is paramount to the defense of the Nation against 
ever more capable adversary ballistic missiles?
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I agree with the gentleman, and I 
know the gentleman from Alabama will agree that the oversight of scarce 
defense dollars is important. The request for this program has spiked 
significantly between fiscal years 2015 and 2016. Yet, there is no real 
acquisition plan.
  The Department owes us this information if we are to be responsible 
stewards of these taxpayer dollars
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. I thank the gentleman for that explanation, 
and I hope he will let me know if there is anything the Subcommittee on 
Strategic Forces can do to make sure that the Department knows that the 
acquisition strategy needs to be delivered to the Congress without 
further delay.
  Can the gentleman also assure me that the deployment of the Aegis 
Ashore site in Poland remains a priority of his and that its deployment 
by not later than December of 2018 will not be affected by any of the 
marks in the bill before the House today?
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Yes, I absolutely agree with the gentleman from 
Alabama that this deployment is vital to our missile defense, and the 
United States should be grateful for strong allies like Poland.
  Nothing in the bill today will in any way impact the one-time 
deployment of the European Phased Adaptive Approach Phase III.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. I thank the gentleman. I look forward to 
supporting the bill today and urge the

[[Page 9179]]

House to do the same to get this vital bill passed and to the President 
for his support of our men and women in uniform.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, if I could ask how much time remains for 
both sides, please.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey has 8\3/4\ minutes 
remaining. The gentleman from Indiana has 9 minutes remaining.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California 
(Ms. Lee), a member of the committee.
  Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, let me thank our ranking member for yielding, 
and for your tremendous leadership on this subcommittee.
  I also want to thank the ranking member and our chair for including 
report language on the Department of Defense's efforts to achieve 
auditability by the end of fiscal 2017.
  Ensuring that the Pentagon is auditable is common sense, and it is 
something that Congress mandated, mind you, 25 years ago. It is long 
past time to address the culture of unlimited spending and zero 
accountability at the Pentagon, and I know this issue has strong 
bipartisan support.
  Yet, there are many provisions of this bill which I cannot support. 
The appropriations bill includes an additional $38 billion over budget 
caps in the overseas contingency operations slush fund, and that is 
what it is; it is a slush fund. This is simply outrageous and this 
fund, quite frankly, in my opinion, it should be eliminated.
  We should have transparency, and the public should know how much it 
is costing to fight these wars.
  This bill also includes $1.3 billion for DOD operations against the 
Islamic State of Iraq and Levant. Mr. Chair, it has been 10 months 
since the war started and 4 months since the President submitted his 
draft authorization to Congress, and Congress has yet to act. Now we 
see additional troops being sent into this war zone. Again, no 
congressional debate, no vote.
  Congress cannot continue to fund a war--and that is what this is--
without a robust debate on an ISIL-specific authorization. That is why 
I offered an amendment in committee, which was adopted on a bipartisan 
basis, that simply reaffirms that Congress has a constitutional duty to 
debate and determine whether or not to authorize the use of military 
force.
  It is also why I am offering two amendments to this bill that would 
prohibit funding for the 2001 and 2002 authorizations for the use of 
military force. With these authorizations still on the books, Congress 
is allowing this President--and any President really--to wage war 
against anyone, at any time, anywhere.
  I hope we defeat this bill because we have got to stop this policy of 
endless wars.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Rogers), the distinguished chairman of the Strategic 
Forces Subcommittee, for the purpose of a colloquy.
  Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. I thank the distinguished gentleman from New 
Jersey for yielding.
  Mr. Chairman, first I would like to express my support for the fiscal 
year 2016 Defense Appropriations bill and my appreciation for the hard 
work of the chairman in drafting this very good bill, which will 
provide essential funding to our national security.
  However, I have a serious concern with the proposed reduction of 
funding in this bill for an existing weather collection satellite 
called the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, or DMSP.
  As early as 2017, our military is facing a critical capability gap in 
the Department of Defense's two highest priority weather requirements. 
As the Air Force continues to work through its plan for addressing 
weather requirements, launching DMSP will help address these issues.
  Much has been spent on DMSP already, and it would be a shame to waste 
those dollars when the satellite could be put to good use.
  Mr. Chairman, I agree with you that the Air Force has not properly 
managed the space weather program, and they must submit a better plan. 
However, I ask for your support in working with me in conference to 
ensure that our military and intelligence professionals have the tools 
they need to safely prosecute our missions.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I yield to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. 
Bridenstine).
  Mr. BRIDENSTINE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And congratulations on 
producing a very good bill that will provide the necessary funding to 
properly defend our Nation.
  And let me express my appreciation for providing $26 million in your 
bill to fund an Air Force pilot program for the acquisition of 
commercial SATCOM services.
  Aligned with the House-passed fiscal year 2016 NDAA, the program has 
the potential to lower costs and increase utilization of commercial 
satellites.
  Mr. Chairman, thank you for giving me the opportunity to discuss 
military satellite communications, or SATCOM. As you are aware, the 
demand for SATCOM has increased by a factor of 10 since the outset of 
our simultaneous commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, and it continues 
to grow.
  Further, the need for protection against jamming, spoofing, and other 
interference has also increased as our adversaries deploy more 
sophisticated countermeasures to deny and degrade communications to our 
warfighters.
  The government-owned, government-operated SATCOM system, Wideband 
Global Satellite Communications System, or WGS, cannot keep up with 
demand--not even close. As a result, the Air Force has sought less 
expensive, more protected SATCOM solutions from the commercial sector 
to augment national capabilities.
  Mr. Chairman, the military needs more SATCOM capacity, and it needs 
SATCOM that is better protected. Congress can help by restoring $32.8 
million for development and testing activities associated with the 
Protected Tactical Testbed.
  We also need additional funding for the Protected Tactical Wave Form 
itself. This effort will help make both commercial and WGS satellites 
more robust and protected against jamming. Alongside the Air Force's 
pilot program I referenced earlier, the Protected Tactical Testbed and 
Wave Form may begin to give warfighters access to a global architecture 
of protected commercial SATCOM.
  That said, I understand the Air Force has programmatic challenges 
with the Protected Tactical Testbed that must be addressed. However, I 
urge the committee to keep an open mind in conference. If the Air Force 
addresses your concerns, then I hope the committee will consider 
restoring funding for the Protected Tactical Testbed and Wave Form.
  I thank you again for this opportunity to speak on such an important 
issue to our military servicemen and -women.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Reclaiming my time, I thank the gentlemen from 
Alabama and Oklahoma, both veterans, for bringing these matters to our 
attention, and we look forward to working with you on these important 
issues.
  However, in both instances you both highlight important warfighter 
capabilities that are stymied by poor program planning and execution by 
the Air Force. Their lack of programmatic and financial discipline has 
led directly to these weather collection and satellite communications 
issues.
  Consequently, our appropriations bill highlighted each of these 
concerns and strongly encouraged the Air Force to make adjustments. 
None, unfortunately, were made in a timely manner.
  Based on existing capability, I see no evidence that launching the 
DMSP is part of that plan, but I am willing to work with both gentlemen 
in conference if things change. I thank the gentlemen for their support 
and work.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from California (Ms. Hahn) for the purpose of a colloquy.
  Ms. HAHN. Thank you, Ranking Member Visclosky.
  I have been working to provide our World War II merchant mariners the 
thanks they deserve. I would prefer to offer an amendment to the 
Defense bill which would have provided a token

[[Page 9180]]

thank you, but it would have been the subject of a point of order.
  These brave men suffered the highest losses of any military branch in 
World War II and did not receive veterans benefits under the GI Bill.
  Moving forward, I look forward to working with the ranking member to 
give our brave merchant mariners the recognition they rightly deserve. 
It is unfathomable that these merchant mariners who served this Nation 
so valiantly have never had full veterans benefits.
  They were not eligible for tuition subsidies, home loan guarantees, 
or other provisions of the GI Bill that helps millions of veterans 
transition seamlessly into civilian life.
  Time is running out. These merchant mariners are now in their 
eighties and nineties, and there are only 5,000 left. Let's act now to 
right this wrong.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. HAHN. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I thank the gentlewoman from California for bringing 
this to our attention and, particularly, given the fact that my father 
is a Naval veteran and 99 years old. So I understand the circumstances 
of what you speak, and we do look forward to working with you on this 
issue as we move forward with the legislation. Thank you very much.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield to the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the dean of the New Jersey 
delegation, for the purpose of a colloquy.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I thank my good friend for yielding, and I 
rise to raise an issue of particular importance to my constituents in 
New Jersey.
  Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst was created by the 2005 BRAC round. 
And while joint basing has been successfully implemented at MDL, there 
remains an outstanding issue of gross unfairness for some employees.
  The overwhelming majority of employees at the joint base are included 
in the New York pay locality area; yet, the wage grade employees on the 
former McGuire Air Force Base and Fort Dix remain in the Philadelphia 
locality area. These employees work on the same installation, but they 
are paid 7 percent less than their counterparts for the same work.
  Joint Base MDL made a formal request for realignment of the 
Philadelphia to New York wage survey area to OPM's Advisory Committee, 
FPRAC, in 2010, and the base leadership continues to believe pay parity 
should be a priority.
  Mr. Chairman, the joint base is a critical asset to DOD and our 
National security. Their missions could not be carried out effectively 
without the skills of the men and women stationed there and those 
working in civilian support roles across the base.
  Joint Base MDL is one installation, and the men and women who work 
there are part of the same workforce. It is timed to fix this outdated 
policy.
  Accordingly, I am hopeful that you will work with me to bring about 
fairness to the roughly 20 percent of the workforce that does not 
receive equally earned pay.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I thank my colleague for his leadership and for 
bringing my attention to this important issue. And I can assure him we 
will look forward to working with him as we move forward with our bill 
into conference.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. I thank my good friend, the chairman, for 
your commitment to the men and women who support our warfighters. I 
look forward to working with you to move the pay parity for all joint 
base employees forward.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Massachusetts (Ms. Tsongas) for the purpose of a colloquy.
  Ms. TSONGAS. Thank you, Ranking Member Visclosky.
  Mr. Chair, I rise for the purpose of engaging in a colloquy.
  As you are aware, our Nation's Federally Funded Research and 
Development Centers, or FFRDCs, play a critical role in advancing 
national security goals and ensuring that our Nation stays at the 
cutting edge of technological innovation.
  Mr. Chair, I wanted to engage in this colloquy to clarify Congress' 
intent in section 802(3)(c), which states:
  ``Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds 
available to the Department from any source during fiscal year 2016 may 
be used by a defense FFRDC through a fee or other payment mechanism for 
construction of new buildings.''

                              {time}  1645

  Mr. Chair, I am concerned that some could take an expansive 
interpretation of this provision and view it as preventing the 
execution of critical facilities modernization projects, even when 
authorized by Congress through military construction projects.
  I am also concerned about the provision's medium-and long-term 
implications for building maintenance and facility modernization 
projects that are necessary to continue important innovation programs 
for decades to come.
  Chairman Frelinghuysen, is it the committee's understanding that this 
provision is not intended to apply to military construction projects or 
to advanced planning and design funds that are authorized by Congress?
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. TSONGAS. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Ms. Tsongas, yes, that is my understanding.
  Ms. TSONGAS. Thank you, Mr. Frelinghuysen. I look forward to working 
with you, and I appreciate that construction.
  I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), the ranking 
member of the Defense Subcommittee. Is that your understanding?
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. That is my understanding as well.
  Ms. TSONGAS. Thank you both, and I look forward to working with you.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, could you give us the time that we 
each have left.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey has 2\1/4\ minutes 
remaining, and the gentleman from Indiana has 4 minutes remaining.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Chair, I rise today to express my support for the 
Vets4Warriors program, a program in my district that is operated by 
Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care. This successful program has 
provided invaluable assistance to the military in their efforts to 
prevent suicide among veterans. The program ensures that those veterans 
who are struggling with depression or psychological concerns get the 
support they need: peer-to-peer.
  Sadly, the Department of Defense has terminated this program without 
any public notice. Our nation is now faced with a crisis: since the 
start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, more than 3,000 active-duty 
personnel have taken their own lives. Programs like Vets4Warriors help 
us to combat this troubling trend.
  The Vets4Warriors program is unique and will be difficult to replace. 
It allows veterans a safe space in which they can find help apart from 
the DOD structure. Service members are often hesitant to reach out to 
their superiors regarding personal concerns like mental health. By 
integrating these programs into the Department's Military OneSource 
program, many service members will lose the sense of confidentiality 
provided by Vets4Warriors.
  We must fulfill our responsibility to care for those who put 
themselves in harm's way to protect our nation. It is my hope that the 
DOD will reconsider their decision so that we can assure our veterans 
have access to the best mental health resources possible.
  Mr. KLINE. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment aiming 
to expedite cleanup within a neglected category of defense sites in my 
state and nationwide.
  During World War II, while our troops were fighting abroad, 
facilities across the nation here at home were busy creating the 
supplies and provisions that fueled our efforts. One such site is 
Gopher Ordnance Works in my district. The Gopher Ordnance Works site 
was built and operated by the federal government during World War II 
for the production of smokeless gunpowder and nitric and sulfuric 
acids. The then-existing War Department acquired approximately 12,000 
acres of farmland

[[Page 9181]]

near Rosemount, Minnesota for the construction of the plant. After the 
war was won and the efforts at home wound down, the Department of the 
Army declared the Gopher Ordnance Works to be surplus property, and the 
facilities on the land were partially deconstructed. Unfortunately, 
some of the structures and many of the contaminants remain to this very 
day, more than 60 years later.
  Over the years the federal government realized sites like Gopher 
Ordnance Works must be cleaned up. Accordingly, Congress created the 
Formerly Used Defense Sites--or FUDS--program as part of the Defense 
Environmental Restoration Program in the mid-1980s. The goal of the 
FUDS program is to clean up these sites so they can be put back into 
productive use and no longer pose a potential health threat to our 
constituents.
  Mr. Chair, the site in my district is not unique. The U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers maintains an inventory of FUDS properties nationwide, and 
per the Army Corps, there are almost 10,000 potential properties that 
could qualify, with up to 2,700 of those requiring some sort of 
cleanup. Every single state in our nation, the District of Columbia, 
and our territories all have sites within their respective borders. 
This issue affects all of our constituents.
  It is unacceptable to take so long to make so little progress in 
addressing these sites. It is worse if the cleanup delay is due to 
legal disputes over FUDS properties or simple lack of knowledge about 
what contaminants are present. This is the case in one subset of the 
FUDS program categorized as Potentially Responsible Party--or PRP--
sites. PRP sites are locations where the Department of Defense as well 
as other parties potentially contributed to the contamination. Instead 
of acting on these sites and putting them back into productive use, PRP 
sites get mired in extensive site studies and disputes over who left 
what at the site.
  Mr. Chair, Gopher Ordnance Works in my district is a PRP site that 
has not received appropriate attention from the federal agencies 
delegated with the authority to resolve liability and move forward with 
cleanup. For more than a decade, I have advocated tirelessly to the 
Army Corps in an attempt to facilitate cleanup and navigate its 
backlogged bureaucracy. Enough is enough. I am asking the Army Corps to 
prioritize PRP sites and move forward expeditiously toward a solution 
for environmental investigation and pollution cleanup costs at Gopher 
Ordnance Works. I am here, ready, and available to offer what 
assistance is necessary in Congress on behalf of my constituents. I 
expect the Army Corps and the Department of Defense to fulfill their 
mission, committing to their responsibilities toward real, productive 
solutions.
  The underlying bill funds environmental restoration for all FUDS 
properties. My amendment would have required no less than $10,000,000 
of the Environmental Restoration--Formerly Used Defense Sites funds to 
be available for remedial investigations on the too often neglected PRP 
sites, removing one obstacle that is preventing these sites from 
becoming usable.
  While it is regrettable the House Parliamentarians ruled that 
procedures and protocols of the House prevent this particular bill from 
being a vehicle to fix this problem, I will continue my efforts so 
these sites can finally be cleaned and restored, resolving this issue 
once and for all in support of our communities.
  Mr. TED LIEU of California. Mr. Chair, I rise today to express my 
support for the Space-Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) Wide Field of View 
(WFOV) effort.
  Unfortunately, the House's Defense Appropriations bill for FY16 would 
completely eliminate SBIRS WFOV funding due to concerns that the 
initiative was being used to develop new technology rather than making 
evolutionary upgrades to existing programs.
  I believe that these concerns are misplaced, and I am concerned that 
eliminating funding will derail this valuable effort at a critical 
juncture. It is my understanding that SBIRS WFOV does in fact support 
evolutionary development of the Program of Record (POR). Data gathered 
from WFOV efforts will support risk mitigation efforts to the POR and 
will facilitate cost savings by maturing technologies before 
implementing them on the POR.
  It is worth noting that the Senate and House Armed Services 
Committees fully funded the WFOV effort in their respective versions of 
the FY16 National Defense Authorization Act, as did the Senate Defense 
Appropriations Subcommittee.
  The SBIRS WFOV initiative is designed to lower future costs while 
evolving vital components of our national security space architecture. 
I urge my colleagues to support full funding for this initiative during 
conference negotiations.
  The Acting CHAIR. All time for general debate has expired.
  Pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment 
under the 5-minute rule.
  During consideration of the bill for amendment, each amendment shall 
be debatable for 10 minutes equally divided and controlled by the 
proponent and an opponent and shall not be subject to amendment. No pro 
forma amendment shall be in order except that the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective 
designees may offer up to 10 pro forma amendments each at any point for 
the purpose of debate. The Chair of the Committee of the Whole may 
accord priority in recognition on the basis of whether the Member 
offering an amendment has caused it to be printed in the portion of the 
Congressional Record designated for that purpose. Amendments so printed 
shall be considered read.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 2685

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the 
     Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 2016, for military functions 
     administered by the Department of Defense and for other 
     purposes, namely:

                                TITLE I

                           MILITARY PERSONNEL

                        Military Personnel, Army

       For pay, allowances, individual clothing, subsistence, 
     interest on deposits, gratuities, permanent change of station 
     travel (including all expenses thereof for organizational 
     movements), and expenses of temporary duty travel between 
     permanent duty stations, for members of the Army on active 
     duty (except members of reserve components provided for 
     elsewhere), cadets, and aviation cadets; for members of the 
     Reserve Officers' Training Corps; and for payments pursuant 
     to section 156 of Public Law 97-377, as amended (42 U.S.C. 
     402 note), and to the Department of Defense Military 
     Retirement Fund, $37,295,571,000.

                        Military Personnel, Navy

       For pay, allowances, individual clothing, subsistence, 
     interest on deposits, gratuities, permanent change of station 
     travel (including all expenses thereof for organizational 
     movements), and expenses of temporary duty travel between 
     permanent duty stations, for members of the Navy on active 
     duty (except members of the Reserve provided for elsewhere), 
     midshipmen, and aviation cadets; for members of the Reserve 
     Officers' Training Corps; and for payments pursuant to 
     section 156 of Public Law 97-377, as amended (42 U.S.C. 402 
     note), and to the Department of Defense Military Retirement 
     Fund, $26,711,323,000.


                  Amendment Offered by Ms. Jackson Lee

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 3, line 9, insert after the dollar amount the 
     following: ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.
       Page 31, line 7, insert after the dollar amount the 
     following: ``(reduced by $2,000,000)''.

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the 
gentlewoman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. A point of order is reserved.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentlewoman from Texas and a 
Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, the purpose of this amendment is to 
encourage the Secretary of Defense to allocate resources needed to 
provide technical assistance by U.S. military women to military women 
in other countries combating violence as a weapon of war, terrorism, 
human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, and their impact on women and 
girls across the globe.
  Let me thank the chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on 
Defense for the work they have done in the backdrop of the very 
overwhelming sequester, which I certainly oppose so that all of the 
appropriators will have the ability to provide the resources that they 
need.
  In particular, my amendment is recognizing the new face of war and 
the new fight of terrorism.

[[Page 9182]]

  I hold up these pictures of the numbers of countries who are adding 
women to their forces. America, of course, has had women in different 
parts of its military for a number of years, going back to nurses in 
World War I and II and in the various types of work that have been done 
recently in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the women are enormously proud 
and very effective.
  My amendment simply says that, in this new war on terrorism and human 
trafficking, we would have the opportunity to use the women in the 
United States military who have achieved levels of rank that are 
extremely important to be able to train and to provide technical 
assistance to those who are just adding women to their military.
  The United States Armed Forces possesses an unparalleled expertise 
and technological capability that will aid not only in combating and 
defeating terrorists, who hate our country and prey upon innocent 
persons--especially women, girls, and the elderly--but we must also 
recognize that, notwithstanding our extraordinary technical military 
capabilities, we face adversaries who adapt very quickly because they 
are not constrained by geographic limitations or norms of morality: the 
Caliphate, ISIL, ISIS, Boko Haram, al Shabaab, al Qaeda, all. We are 
also finding that these organizations are using women, but then, of 
course, the institutionalized militaries are also putting more women 
in.
  What better interface than that of the United States military and 
women, in particular.
  I have an article that I would like to submit into the Record, 
``Turkey's Women Expand Role in Military.''

                 Turkey's Women Expand Role in Military

       At the 24th International Defence Film Festival in Rome, a 
     documentary by film director Elif Ovar of the Turkish Army's 
     Photo-Film Center was selected for the Jury's Award.
       Her documentary ``Light of Hope''--about Senay Haydar, 
     Turkey's first female gendarmie commander and senior 
     noncommissioned officer (NCO), against the backdrop of gender 
     discrimination and violence against women in the small 
     Anatolian town of Mesudiye--attracted much interest.
       Haydar works closely with local officials and families and 
     has been credited for eradicating violence against women 
     among the 40,000 residents of Mesudiye. Thanks to Haydar's 
     actions, there hasn't been a single case of violence against 
     women in the last nine months in Mesudiye.
       Ovar told Al-Monitor that as a woman she has been much 
     impressed with Haydar's accomplishments in a small Anatolian 
     town where traditional culture prevails. ``NCO Senay's 
     success, as much as this is due to [her own accomplishments], 
     is also the success of the commanders who believed in her,'' 
     Ovar said. ``Appointing a female NCO as a representative of 
     law and order to a town with 40,000 residents is truly a 
     revolution for the Turkish army.''
       Over the last three years, there have been extensive 
     changes in the personnel policy of the Turkish army with the 
     increase of the number of female officers and NCOs and, as 
     was the case with Haydar, in assigning women to active field 
     positions instead of just to administrative work at the 
     headquarters.
       In an interview with Al-Monitor Haydar said: ``I always 
     wanted to be a field commander who takes decisions instead of 
     working at a desk. I was encouraged by the Gendarmerie 
     General Command. When the results [of my employment] turned 
     out to be positive, scores of female officers and NCOs 
     followed in my footsteps.'' According to a source at the 
     Gendarmerie School in Beykent, Ankara, in October alone, 67 
     female NCOs have been assigned to Gendarmerie General Command 
     field posts after they completed their basic training; 
     another 90 female NCOs and 30 officers will follow.
       Capt. Hulya Ercan, an instructor of the UH-60 Sikorsky 
     helicopter at Ankara's Gendarmerie Aviation School, is the 
     first female gendarmerie pilot in Turkey. In an interview 
     with Al-Monitor she said: ``My husband is a captain. I raised 
     my daughters Bensu and Beren without giving up my profession. 
     I actually flew until the third month of my pregnancy with my 
     youngest. My most memorable moment was one time when my 
     husband was away on a mission and I was ordered to fly an 
     urgent mission. I had to leave my 1\1/2\-year-old daughter 
     with the duty officer at the base. When I returned five hours 
     later, I found the duty officer and many soldiers 
     entertaining my daughter. That was memorable and funny.''
       A source at the Turkish General Staff who works on planning 
     of the personnel policies told Al-Monitor that today there 
     are 1,350 female officers in the Turkish army, which is 3.3% 
     of the total number of officers. The target is to increase 
     this to 5% in the next three years. The Turkish army wants to 
     further increase the number of female NCOs, which today 
     stands at 843 (0.9%). The aim is to also increase this to 5% 
     by 2018, which means the employment of an additional 4,000 
     female NCOs. To achieve these objectives, the Turkish army 
     has been trying to embrace more female-friendly personnel 
     policies.
       The Turkish army employs 96 female colonels, 140 female 
     lieutenant colonels and 360 female majors.
       Colonels generally work at headquarters while majors are 
     usually unit commanders. Staff Maj. Bilgehan Bulbul is the 
     commander of the largest transport fleet of the Air Force 
     Command in Ankara and is also the first female fleet 
     commander. There is a noticeable increase of Turkish female 
     staff officers in important headquarter posts in the army and 
     NATO. For example, naval staff officer Maj. Yasemin 
     Bayraktutan is Turkey's current naval attache in London. 
     Within six-seven years, she may well become the first female 
     admiral of the country. In an email to Al-Monitor, she said 
     she wants to return home after excelling in her current 
     position and before becoming an admiral she wants to command 
     a frigate.
       What is behind the Turkish army's decision to increase the 
     number of female officers and NCOs?
       There are two practical reasons and one ideological one.
       The first practical reason is the relative reduction in the 
     number of personnel called up for compulsory military 
     service, as the Turkish army is moving toward becoming a 
     professional entity--increasing the number of females in the 
     army makes up for this loss in man power.
       The second practical reason is a need for female personnel 
     because of a change in security issues the Turkish army is 
     dealing with--notably, the shift from rural to urban areas of 
     the Kurdistan Workers Party violence in Turkey's southeast. 
     In addition, there is a need for female personnel in 
     international missions that the Turkish armed forces are 
     undertaking in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Bosnia, among others.
       To have ranking female officers provides significant 
     advantages in communicating with the local population, 
     especially with women, and carrying out civil-military 
     cooperation projects effectively in the health care and 
     education sectors. Thus, the Turkish army is determined to 
     establish more effective links with local populations in low-
     intensity conflict areas and peace support missions.
       The ideological reason for increasing the number of females 
     in the Turkish army is that the latter has always been the 
     leading cause of modernization and Westernization of the 
     republic. The army sees itself as a pioneer in all 
     transformation processes in society, and more females and an 
     increase in the visibility of their presence in the Turkish 
     army delivers crucial messages--especially to the rural 
     population--on equality for women and a more active 
     participation of women in society.
       A female in uniform backed by the Turkish army can better 
     dissuade a man in rural Turkey, for instance, inclined to 
     violence against his wife. ``Because of my uniform and as 
     stipulated by law, I will go after anyone committing violence 
     against his wife or any other female,'' Haydar said.

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. So my amendment, of course, is to provide that 
pathway for the collaboration of U.S. military women with other 
excellent forces to be able to help these women and to be able to fight 
the global war on terrorism through technical assistance, counsel, and 
advice, which I think will add to the expertise of those militaries 
but, more importantly, to the work of the United States military.
  Mr. Chair, I want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member 
Visclosky for shepherding this legislation to the floor and for their 
devotion to the men and women of the Armed Forces who risk their lives 
to keep our nation safe and for their work in ensuring that they have 
resources needed to keep our Armed Forces the greatest fighting force 
for peace on earth.
  Mr. Chair, thank you for the opportunity to explain my amendment, 
which is simple and straightforward and affirms an example of the 
national goodness that makes America the most exceptional nation on 
earth.
  The purpose of the Jackson Lee amendment is to provide the Secretary 
of Defense flexibility to allocate resources needed to provide 
technical assistance by U.S. military women to military women in other 
countries combating violence as a weapon of war, terrorism, human 
trafficking, narcotics trafficking.
  Mr. Chair, the United States is committed to combating violent 
extremism, protecting our borders and the globe from the scourge of 
terrorism.
  The United States Armed Forces possess an unparalleled expertise and 
technological capability that will aid not only in combating and 
defeating terrorists who hate our country and prey upon innocent 
persons, especially women, girls, and the elderly.

[[Page 9183]]

  But we must recognize that notwithstanding our extraordinary 
technical military capabilities, we face adversaries who adapt very 
quickly because they are not constrained by geographic limitations or 
norms of morality and decency.
  Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al Shabaab, ISIS/ISIL and other militant 
terrorists, including the Sinai's Ansar Beit al-Maqdis in the Sinai 
peninsula which poses a threat to Egypt.
  The Jackson Lee amendment will help provide the Department of Defense 
with the resources needed to provide technical assistance to countries 
on innovative strategies to provide defense technologies and resources 
that promote the security of the American people and nation states.
  Terrorism, human trafficking, narcotics trafficking and their impact 
on women and girls across the globe has had a great adverse impact on 
us all.
  According to a UNICEF report, rape, torture and human trafficking by 
terrorist and militant groups have been employed as weapons of war, 
affecting over twenty thousand women and girls.
  Looking at the history of terrorism alone highlights the importance 
of providing technical assistance through our military might, as this 
enables us to chip at terrorism which has plagued us here in the United 
States.
  The Jackson Lee amendment will help curb terrorism abroad by making 
available American technical military expertise to military in other 
countries, like Nigeria, who are combating violent jihadists in their 
country and to keep those terrorists out of our country.
  Time and again American lives have been lost at the hands of 
terrorists.
  These victims include Christians, Muslims, journalists, health care 
providers, relief workers, schoolchildren, and members of the 
diplomatic corps and the Armed Services.
  This is why the technical assistance offered by our military 
personnel is integral to promoting security operation of intelligence, 
surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft for missions to empower local 
forces to combat terrorism.
  Terrorists across the globe have wreaked havoc on our society and 
cannot not be tolerated or ignored, for their actions pose a threat to 
our national security and the security of the world.
  Mr. Chairman, from the United States to Africa to Europe to Asia and 
the Middle East, it is clear that combating terrorism remains one of 
highest national priorities.
  Collectively, through every action and effort towards empowering our 
neighbors and their military to combat terrorism, eradicate human 
trafficking, stop narcotics trafficking and negate their impact on 
women and girls across the globe is in our national interest.
  I urge my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment.
  I reserve the balance of my time.


                             Point of Order

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I insist on my point of order.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman will state his point of order.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, the amendment proposes to amend 
portions of the bill not yet read.
  The amendment may not be considered en bloc under clause 2(f) of rule 
XXI because the amendment proposes to increase the level of outlays in 
the bill.
  I ask for a ruling from the Chair.
  The Acting CHAIR. Does any other Member wish to be heard on the point 
of order?
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I wish to be heard.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Texas is recognized.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. I would like to take this moment to thank the 
chairman and the ranking member and their staff for working with me on 
this matter. I am hoping to be able to revise or to resubmit this.
  At this time, if the chairman would allow me, I ask unanimous consent 
to withdraw this amendment.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to accept the 
withdrawal.
  I thank the gentlewoman for her advocacy.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                    Military Personnel, Marine Corps

       For pay, allowances, individual clothing, subsistence, 
     interest on deposits, gratuities, permanent change of station 
     travel (including all expenses thereof for organizational 
     movements), and expenses of temporary duty travel between 
     permanent duty stations, for members of the Marine Corps on 
     active duty (except members of the Reserve provided for 
     elsewhere); and for payments pursuant to section 156 of 
     Public Law 97-377, as amended (42 U.S.C. 402 note), and to 
     the Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund, 
     $12,586,679,000.

                     Military Personnel, Air Force

       For pay, allowances, individual clothing, subsistence, 
     interest on deposits, gratuities, permanent change of station 
     travel (including all expenses thereof for organizational 
     movements), and expenses of temporary duty travel between 
     permanent duty stations, for members of the Air Force on 
     active duty (except members of reserve components provided 
     for elsewhere), cadets, and aviation cadets; for members of 
     the Reserve Officers' Training Corps; and for payments 
     pursuant to section 156 of Public Law 97-377, as amended (42 
     U.S.C. 402 note), and to the Department of Defense Military 
     Retirement Fund, $26,226,952,000.

                        Reserve Personnel, Army

       For pay, allowances, clothing, subsistence, gratuities, 
     travel, and related expenses for personnel of the Army 
     Reserve on active duty under sections 10211, 10302, and 3038 
     of title 10, United States Code, or while serving on active 
     duty under section 12301(d) of title 10, United States Code, 
     in connection with performing duty specified in section 
     12310(a) of title 10, United States Code, or while undergoing 
     reserve training, or while performing drills or equivalent 
     duty or other duty, and expenses authorized by section 16131 
     of title 10, United States Code; and for payments to the 
     Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund, 
     $4,463,164,000.

                        Reserve Personnel, Navy

       For pay, allowances, clothing, subsistence, gratuities, 
     travel, and related expenses for personnel of the Navy 
     Reserve on active duty under section 10211 of title 10, 
     United States Code, or while serving on active duty under 
     section 12301(d) of title 10, United States Code, in 
     connection with performing duty specified in section 12310(a) 
     of title 10, United States Code, or while undergoing reserve 
     training, or while performing drills or equivalent duty, and 
     expenses authorized by section 16131 of title 10, United 
     States Code; and for payments to the Department of Defense 
     Military Retirement Fund, $1,866,891,000.

                    Reserve Personnel, Marine Corps

       For pay, allowances, clothing, subsistence, gratuities, 
     travel, and related expenses for personnel of the Marine 
     Corps Reserve on active duty under section 10211 of title 10, 
     United States Code, or while serving on active duty under 
     section 12301(d) of title 10, United States Code, in 
     connection with performing duty specified in section 12310(a) 
     of title 10, United States Code, or while undergoing reserve 
     training, or while performing drills or equivalent duty, and 
     for members of the Marine Corps platoon leaders class, and 
     expenses authorized by section 16131 of title 10, United 
     States Code; and for payments to the Department of Defense 
     Military Retirement Fund, $705,271,000.

                      Reserve Personnel, Air Force

       For pay, allowances, clothing, subsistence, gratuities, 
     travel, and related expenses for personnel of the Air Force 
     Reserve on active duty under sections 10211, 10305, and 8038 
     of title 10, United States Code, or while serving on active 
     duty under section 12301(d) of title 10, United States Code, 
     in connection with performing duty specified in section 
     12310(a) of title 10, United States Code, or while undergoing 
     reserve training, or while performing drills or equivalent 
     duty or other duty, and expenses authorized by section 16131 
     of title 10, United States Code; and for payments to the 
     Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund, 
     $1,689,333,000.

                     National Guard Personnel, Army

       For pay, allowances, clothing, subsistence, gratuities, 
     travel, and related expenses for personnel of the Army 
     National Guard while on duty under sections 10211, 10302, or 
     12402 of title 10 or section 708 of title 32, United States 
     Code, or while serving on duty under section 12301(d) of 
     title 10 or section 502(f) of title 32, United States Code, 
     in connection with performing duty specified in section 
     12310(a) of title 10, United States Code, or while undergoing 
     training, or while performing drills or equivalent duty or 
     other duty, and expenses authorized by section 16131 of title 
     10, United States Code; and for payments to the Department of 
     Defense Military Retirement Fund, $7,980,413,000.

                  National Guard Personnel, Air Force

       For pay, allowances, clothing, subsistence, gratuities, 
     travel, and related expenses for personnel of the Air 
     National Guard on duty under sections 10211, 10305, or 12402 
     of title 10 or section 708 of title 32, United States Code, 
     or while serving on duty under section 12301(d) of title 10 
     or section 502(f) of title 32, United States Code, in 
     connection with performing duty specified in section 12310(a) 
     of title 10, United States Code, or while undergoing 
     training, or while performing drills or equivalent duty or 
     other duty, and expenses authorized by section 16131 of title 
     10, United States Code; and for payments to the Department of 
     Defense Military Retirement Fund, $3,202,010,000.

[[Page 9184]]



                                TITLE II

                       OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

                    Operation and Maintenance, Army

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary for the 
     operation and maintenance of the Army, as authorized by law, 
     $28,349,761,000: Provided, That not to exceed $12,478,000 can 
     be used for emergencies and extraordinary expenses, to be 
     expended on the approval or authority of the Secretary of the 
     Army, and payments may be made on his certificate of 
     necessity for confidential military purposes.

                   Amendment Offered by Mr. Lowenthal

  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Hultgren). The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 7, line 22, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(reduced by $3,000,000)''.
       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $5,000,000) (reduced by 
     $3,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from California and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chair, providing science, technology, engineering, 
and math education to America's youth is critical to the global 
competitiveness of our Nation. The STARBASE program engages local 
fifth-grade elementary students by exposing them to STEM subjects 
through an inquiry-based curriculum and is currently active in 56 
congressional districts throughout the Nation.
  Today I want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member 
Visclosky for their strong leadership in reestablishing funding for the 
program over the past 2 years. I am respectfully requesting an 
additional $5 million to help expand the program nationwide.
  Today I am offering STARBASE amendment No. 18 to H.R. 2685, the 
Department of Defense Appropriations Act. My amendment increases 
funding to the STARBASE Youth Program by $5 million, and while 
providing support for the program, it also reduces spending by $1 
million.
  The STARBASE program is carried out by the military services because 
the lack of STEM-educated youth in America has been identified as a 
future national security issue by the Department of Defense. Two years 
ago, both the House and Senate rejected the Office of Management and 
Budget's, the OMB, proposal to terminate this critical program.
  As a Member of Congress, I appreciate OMB's desire to consolidate 
STEM's programs across the spectrum into one funding line. However, 
this is a national defense item and has been identified by the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff as such. STARBASE was created under the auspices of the 
Department of Defense to meet its critical needs in STEM-related 
fields.
  Regrettably, the funding uncertainty caused by OMB's action during 
that time resulted in the elimination of all programs operated by the 
Navy and reduced in fiscal year 2014 the number of DOD STARBASE 
programs from 79 to 56. DOD currently has 25 sites on the waiting list 
for a program, and that is why we need a small increase in funding for 
a number of STARBASE programs. It is one of the most cost-effective 
programs across the Federal Government, costing an average of $343 per 
student.
  Last year, 3,062 classes were conducted in 1,267 schools in 413 
school districts across the country. More than 70,000 students attended 
the programs, bringing the total to 825,000 students since its 
inception in 1993.
  It is one of the most effective STEM programs as well. The students 
demonstrate undisputed improvement in STEM.
  I will conclude by reading Warrant Officer Stacey Hendrickson of the 
California State Military Reserve and director of the STARBASE program 
at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base in my district, who 
said:
  ``Congressman Lowenthal, I wanted to let you know that one of our 
schools, 96th Street Elementary in Watts, earned their highest science 
standardized test scores ever last year. This is significant because 
the class is second-year remediation and has English language learners 
and special needs students. Every student's score went up, so this is a 
class that was very special to us. We were all very excited to hear 
that, as those students had all shown a big increase in our own pre and 
post test scores. We were happy to see that the improvement was seen on 
their Academic Performance Index scores as well.''
  Mr. Chair, STARBASE inspires America's youth to discover technical 
career fields that are imperative. During this time of economic 
recovery we cannot lose this battle and concede our technical edge to 
the rest of the world. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1700

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I reluctantly rise to oppose the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I know the gentleman is a strong supporter of it. 
Indeed, it is a program that does incredible things for students that 
has a proven record.
  Unfortunately, once again, the President's fiscal year 2016 budget 
did not support the program. There were no funds requested. As a 
result, the committee provided an additional $25 million in fiscal year 
2016 to restore funding for the program.
  However, I can't support an amendment that would cut the Army's 
operations, the maintenance accounts, to pay for it. This account 
provides funding for critical training, operations, maintenance, and 
readiness programs. After over a decade of war, restoring readiness is 
one of the key objectives of our bill this year.
  We need to have soldiers who are ready and able to respond to 
contingency. It is a top priority in our bill for the Army and for us. 
While I appreciate the gentleman's intent, I cannot support his 
amendment, reluctantly.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lowenthal).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California 
will be postponed.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                    Operation and Maintenance, Navy

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary for the 
     operation and maintenance of the Navy and the Marine Corps, 
     as authorized by law, $40,548,338,000: Provided, That not to 
     exceed $15,055,000 can be used for emergencies and 
     extraordinary expenses, to be expended on the approval or 
     authority of the Secretary of the Navy, and payments may be 
     made on his certificate of necessity for confidential 
     military purposes.

                Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary for the 
     operation and maintenance of the Marine Corps, as authorized 
     by law, $5,338,793,000.

                  Operation and Maintenance, Air Force

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary for the 
     operation and maintenance of the Air Force, as authorized by 
     law, $36,094,484,000: Provided, That not to exceed $7,699,000 
     can be used for emergencies and extraordinary expenses, to be 
     expended on the approval or authority of the Secretary of the 
     Air Force, and payments may be made on his certificate of 
     necessity for confidential military purposes.

                Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary for the 
     operation and maintenance of activities and agencies of the 
     Department of Defense (other than the military departments), 
     as authorized by law, $30,182,187,000: Provided, That not 
     more than $15,000,000 may be used for the Combatant Commander 
     Initiative Fund authorized under section 166a of title 10, 
     United States Code: Provided further, That not to exceed 
     $36,000,000 can be used for emergencies and extraordinary 
     expenses, to be expended on the approval or authority of the 
     Secretary of Defense, and payments may be made on his 
     certificate of necessity for confidential military purposes: 
     Provided further, That of the funds provided under this

[[Page 9185]]

     heading, not less than $35,045,000 shall be made available 
     for the Procurement Technical Assistance Cooperative 
     Agreement Program, of which not less than $3,600,000 shall be 
     available for centers defined in 10 U.S.C. 2411(1)(D): 
     Provided further, That none of the funds appropriated or 
     otherwise made available by this Act may be used to plan or 
     implement the consolidation of a budget or appropriations 
     liaison office of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the 
     office of the Secretary of a military department, or the 
     service headquarters of one of the Armed Forces into a 
     legislative affairs or legislative liaison office: Provided 
     further, That $9,031,000, to remain available until expended, 
     is available only for expenses relating to certain classified 
     activities, and may be transferred as necessary by the 
     Secretary of Defense to operation and maintenance 
     appropriations or research, development, test and evaluation 
     appropriations, to be merged with and to be available for the 
     same time period as the appropriations to which transferred: 
     Provided further, That any ceiling on the investment item 
     unit cost of items that may be purchased with operation and 
     maintenance funds shall not apply to the funds described in 
     the preceding proviso: Provided further, That the transfer 
     authority provided under this heading is in addition to any 
     other transfer authority provided elsewhere in this Act.


                     Amendment Offered by Mr. Gosar

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $3,200,000)''.
       Page 12, line 17, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $2,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Arizona and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment with the 
intent of bolstering funds for a worthwhile program in the National 
Guard that assists with securing our southwest border.
  In my State of Arizona, we are under attack. The Arizona border is a 
main thoroughfare for the black market and trafficking. Guns, money, 
drugs, and people are smuggled over the border at an alarming rate. 
Once the smugglers make it to Interstate 10 in Tucson, they can make 
easier runs to Phoenix, Los Angeles, and beyond.
  Let's be clear, the Guard's southwest border mission has bipartisan 
support. Even President Obama supported this program during his time in 
the White House. In fact, since 1981, Congress has authorized military 
support to civilian law enforcement agencies.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman will suspend.
  For what purpose does the gentleman from Illinois seek recognition?
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chair, I rise to ask which of the three amendments 
I have before me is the one that we are now considering in the House of 
Representatives.
  Mr. GOSAR. 107.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I have got it.
  Thank you very much.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the Clerk will report the 
amendment once again.
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. GOSAR. In fact, since 1981, Congress has authorized military 
support to civilian law enforcement agencies, and those narrow 
authorizations are prescribed in title 10, chapter 18 of the United 
States Code. In sum, they act to support law enforcement efforts, but 
they do not direct them.
  Finally, I will remind my colleagues that a similar amendment was 
offered last year by the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn), and the 
amendment was accepted by voice vote. This amendment today seeks to 
achieve the same goal. The amendment is offset by a reduction to the 
defensewide operations and maintenance account, $30.2 billion account.
  Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas are all struggling. We are 
in desperate need of expertise and support at our southwestern border. 
If you support efforts to secure the border and interdict illegal 
trafficking in guns, money, drugs, and humans, including sex slaves, 
then you should support this amendment.
  I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their tireless 
efforts to prioritize resources in this bill.
  Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time, but I am in 
support of the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from New Jersey is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I understand the Representative from Arizona has 
firsthand knowledge of the value of the southwest border mission, and I 
support his amendment.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GOSAR. I thank the chairman for accepting my amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Gosar).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                   Amendment Offered by Mr. Pascrell

  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $5,500,000) (increased by $5,500,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from New Jersey and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and 
Ranking Member Visclosky for providing $212 million for suicide 
prevention outreach programs, $20 million above the President's 
request.
  I am offering this amendment with my colleagues, Representatives 
Pallone, Smith, LoBiondo, Garrett, Lance, Sires, Payne, MacArthur, 
Norcross, and Watson Coleman, to continue support and funding for the 
successful confidential peer-to-peer Vets4Warriors program, a Pentagon-
funded call center operated by Rutgers University Behavioral Health 
Care that provides troops struggling with depression and other 
psychological or emotional concerns support by veterans.
  Despite the troubling increase in Active Duty military suicides after 
9/11, the Defense Department announced last month it would stop funding 
the Vets4Warriors program, which has provided valuable assistance to 
reduce these incidents.
  Through Vets4Warriors, servicemembers have been able to find 
confidential assistance from peers who share lived experiences and who 
can quickly connect and listen in highly effective ways. Since December 
2011, the program has had over 130,000 contacts.
  The Defense Department's plan to integrate these services into the 
Military OneSource without a public process is concerning because we 
know that many servicemembers are reluctant to contact superiors for 
assistance with mental health needs. Military OneSource is only billed 
as available to veterans and their families within 180 days after 
leaving the service.
  Vets4Warriors provides a deep place for veterans to seek help outside 
the Defense Department. We believe removing funding for this program is 
shortsighted. This move will also result in the layoff of approximately 
30 well-trained, talented veterans who have been providing support 
services around the clock. We want the Defense Department to use this 
funding to fully fund the Vets4Warriors program, ensuring our troops 
receive the best mental health resources available.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. PASCRELL. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I rise to support your amendment.
  I think all of us are particularly shocked that they would shut 
something down in our home State that actually serves the rest of the 
Nation. They enjoy a good reputation. It sort of falls into the 
category of ``what were they thinking?''
  We appreciate your standing for the Vets4Warriors.
  Mr. LANCE. Will the gentleman yield?

[[Page 9186]]


  Mr. PASCRELL. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. LANCE. Mr. Chairman, I thank Mr. Pascrell for his leadership on 
this issue, as he has led on so many other issues. I also thank 
Chairman Frelinghuysen. It is due to Chairman Frelinghuysen's 
leadership on this legislation that we stand well-equipped to keep our 
Nation safe and secure.
  The Vets4Warriors program has saved lives in New Jersey. It has made 
a great difference during very challenging times for servicemen and 
servicewomen. Their peers offer support and a friendly ear at a time 
when it matters most. Their voices of encouragement, friendship, and 
support on the other end of the telephone remind our brave heroes of 
their great potential, the love of a grateful nation, and what they can 
accomplish in their lives.
  The program has been proven effective. Thousands of veterans have 
received critical care and assistance. It works and it should be 
maintained. The statistics on veterans' suicides are heartbreaking, but 
programs like Vets4Warriors are the types of efforts that we can 
implement to make a lasting difference.
  I thank Lloyd Deans of Bridgewater, New Jersey, and the district I 
serve for his support and leadership in this area, and for fighting for 
this program and for being a great friend and resource to other 
veterans.
  I urge adoption of the amendment.
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                     Amendment Offered by Mr. Gosar

  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,500,000)''.
       Page 36, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,500,000)''.
       Page 36, line 2, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,500,000)''.

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the 
gentleman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. A point of order is reserved.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman from Arizona and a 
Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Chairman, I too am offering an amendment to bolster 
suicide prevention programs. I rise to offer an amendment which would 
provide additional resources for mental health programs for our 
Nation's servicemembers. Traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic 
stress disorder have been consistently contributing to behavioral 
issues with our veterans, and all too often these ongoing mental health 
issues result in suicide. With an average of 18 to 20 veteran suicides 
per day, more resources are desperately needed.
  The DOD is already an expansive bureaucracy, and I appreciate the 
work of the committee to prioritize resources and to provide 
appropriation levels for the defensewide operations and maintenance 
that are actually lower than those in fiscal year 2015.
  My amendment takes a relatively small amount from that account--$1.5 
million out of a $30.2 billion budget. The nonpartisan Congressional 
Budget Office says the amendment would have no impact on budget 
authority or outlays.
  Too many of our men and women in uniform are struggling with 
traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result 
of serving in combat. If you support improved mental health for our 
servicemembers, you should support this amendment. Let's prevent future 
suicides amongst our troops and ensure they are getting the help they 
need. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment. I thank the 
chairman and the ranking member for their time.


                             Point of Order

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I do insist on my point of order.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman may state his point of order.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I strongly admire the advocacy on behalf of 
suicide prevention by the gentleman from Arizona. It is very needed, 
but I insist on my point of order because the amendment proposes to 
amend portions of the bill not yet read.
  The amendment may not be considered en bloc under clause 2(f) of rule 
XXI because the amendment proposes to increase the level of outlays in 
the bill.
  I ask for a ruling from the Chair.
  The Acting CHAIR. Does any other Member wish to be heard on the point 
of order? If not, the Chair is prepared to rule.
  To be considered en bloc pursuant to clause 2(f) of rule XXI, an 
amendment must not propose to increase the level of budget authority or 
outlays in the bill.
  Because the amendment offered by the gentleman from Arizona proposes 
a net increase in the level of outlays in the bill, as argued by the 
chairman of the Subcommittee on Appropriations, it may not avail itself 
of clause 2(f) to address portions of the bill not yet read.
  The point of order is sustained. The amendment is not in order.

                              {time}  1715


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Delaney

  Mr. DELANEY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(reduced by $7,463,000)''.
       Page 88, line 16, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Maryland and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. DELANEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I want to start by thanking the chairman and the ranking member for 
their unwavering support of our national defense and our veterans.
  Mr. Chairman, my amendment increases the funding for a program called 
Fisher House from $5 million to $10 million, and it funds that increase 
by reducing the amount in the operation and maintenance account by $5 
million.
  Mr. Chairman, the Fisher House is a very successful and very well-
regarded nonprofit with a single mission, which is to provide free 
housing and lodging to families of veterans. The facilities are located 
near veterans hospitals and military hospitals in VA facilities.
  The purpose of this housing is to allow the families of veterans to 
be with their loved ones, the servicemen or -women who have served our 
country and are receiving medical care at one of these facilities. Mr. 
Chairman, we know how important that is for the families and for the 
loved ones, but we know in particular how important that is for our 
veterans when they are receiving care incurred in the service to our 
great Nation for them to have their families with them.
  The Fisher House program has been in business for 25 years, and they 
have been a proven and exceptional steward of taxpayer money. They 
operate 65 facilities all around the country. Again, these facilities 
are near military hospitals or a veterans facility.
  They operate to a very high standard. They have a deep pipeline of 
new facilities that they want to build. Unfortunately, there is a great 
need for these facilities, which is why we are proposing to increase 
their funding from $5 million to $10 million.
  I have introduced this amendment for the past 3 years. It has enjoyed 
bipartisan support. This year, it also has the support of the 
gentlewoman from Michigan.
  I now yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. 
Dingell).
  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for 
yielding and for his leadership on

[[Page 9187]]

this critically important issue. I rise in very strong support of this 
amendment.
  For many years, I have worked with hospitalized veterans and their 
families who have often had to travel far from home to get treatment 
and have seen what the Fisher House has done. The Fisher House 
Foundation does wonders in being a home away from home during very 
difficult times for our veterans and their families.
  As Congress continues to address veterans issues, it is critical that 
their families also have support systems in place and a safe place to 
stay while the veterans are receiving treatment.
  We should be building more Fisher House facilities across the 
country. We are currently trying to put one in Michigan and, as I 
explored that public-private partnership, discovered that there is more 
than a 5-year wait in that pipeline. This bill isn't a silver bullet, 
but it would help reduce that timeline.
  I want to thank my good friend Congressman Delaney for his leadership 
on this issue, and I urge all Members to support this bipartisan 
amendment that helps veterans and their families.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition and will use 
that time to say that I support the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from New Jersey is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. The Fisher House Foundation does incredible work. 
Both my predecessors, Mr. Murtha and Mr. Young, were strong supporters.
  Just for the record, my bill already includes an additional $5 
million for the Department as a grant to the Fisher House Foundation 
and allows each service to transfer up to $11 million for Fisher House 
operations, so each of our services recognizes the incredible private 
contribution and also the U.S. taxpayer contribution.
  I support the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DELANEY. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the chairman for his 
support and, once again, thank him for his singular leadership and for 
his insights into the importance of the Fisher House program.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment so that we can build, 
as the gentlewoman from Michigan said, more Fisher House facilities to 
allow the family members of our veterans to be with them at this great 
time of need.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Delaney).
  The amendment was agreed to.


               Amendment Offered by Mr. Franks of Arizona

  Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(reduced by $2,000,000) (increased by 
     $2,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Arizona and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
  Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for 
allowing me to offer this amendment to this year's Defense 
Appropriations bill to establish and reestablish the Commission to 
assess the threat to the United States from electromagnetic pulse 
attack, which was authorized in the House-passed FY16 NDAA.
  Mr. Chairman, as your committee knows so very well, the United States 
faces many threats and challenges today, perhaps more than ever before 
in her history. One of those threats is the reliance across all 
critical infrastructure sectors on an aging and highly vulnerable 
electric grid.
  As the GAO reported, the Department of Defense relies upon that very 
same electric grid for 99 percent of its electricity needs within the 
continental United States without which it cannot effect its mission.
  The previous EMP Commission stated that a collapse of large portions 
of the electrical system will result in significant periods of power 
outage and loss of significant portions of that system.
  Should the electrical power system be lost for any substantial period 
of time, the consequences are likely to be catastrophic to civilian 
society. They concluded that negative impacts on the electrical 
infrastructure are certain in an EMP event unless practical steps are 
taken to provide protection for critical elements of the electrical 
system.
  The Commission must be established, Mr. Chairman, to ensure that 
research into addressing these vulnerabilities continues within the 
Department of Defense to enable practical steps to actually secure and 
harden the grid. The House Armed Services Committee has already acted 
this year and authorized $2 million to reestablish the Commission.
  I would urge my colleagues to support this amendment to ensure that 
these funds are appropriated as well.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. The gentleman brings up a huge issue, EMP, 
electromagnetic pulse. I accept the amendment.
  Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. I thank the gentleman very much.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                     Amendment Offered by Mr. Nolan

  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Minnesota and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, my amendment would transfer 
$1 million from the Secretary's some $30 billion general operation and 
maintenance fund to lung cancer research under the Defense Health 
Program.
  I would like to begin by thanking Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking 
Member Visclosky for the additional funds that have already been placed 
into the legislation for cancer research. My amendment is presented out 
of the hope that we can still do better and get us back to a point 
where we were some years ago.
  I know $1 million won't make but a dent in the Secretary's general 
operating fund, but it would make an enormous difference--an enormous 
difference--in battling lung cancer, a disease that already affects 
many of our military men and women and kills over 159,000 Americans 
every year.
  As many of you know, my daughter, Katherine, a young mother of four, 
ages 9 to 16, was diagnosed with nonsmoking lung cancer earlier this 
year. I would be remiss if I didn't thank my many colleagues for their 
prayers and their good will and all their expressions of hope and 
concern and thank the committee for the money that they have provided 
here for medical research because, make no mistake about it, the 
combined prayers, good will, and medical research have provided 
Katherine and her family and her friends and many people throughout 
this country with hope for their recovery.
  We have come a long way, and we are getting very close to discovering 
a cure for this and many of the other cancers that so tragically take 
the lives of our loved ones.
  It is my hope that with this amendment, we can do a little bit 
better, get us a little bit closer to that cure, and

[[Page 9188]]

give people going forward the same hope that my daughter, Katherine, 
has been able to receive as a result of these prayers and this 
research.
  I urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment and ask for its support.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Nolan).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                   Amendment Offered by Mr. McKinley

  Mr. McKINLEY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $5,000,000) (increased by $5,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from West Virginia and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West Virginia.
  Mr. McKINLEY. Mr. Chairman, formed in 1993, the Youth ChalleNGe is a 
17-month program run by individual State National Guards. Its mission 
is to give troubled youth a second chance and addresses our Nation's 
dropout rate by providing them the opportunity to obtain a high school 
diploma.
  Youth ChalleNGe has transformed the lives of over 120,000 young 
people since 1993 and has expanded to 35 sites in 27 States, including 
the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico--young people like Tatiana 
Zambrano, a 2011 Puerto Rico ChalleNGe Academy graduate, who with the 
help of Youth ChalleNGe overcame much adversity to gain admission to 
Valparaiso University from which she graduated last month. Society may 
have given up on these young people, but Youth ChalleNGe hasn't.
  Along with my colleague, Congresswoman Napolitano, we have written 
letters and offered amendments in support of Youth ChalleNGe and have 
been buoyed by its successful intervention over the last number of 
years, the program seeks now to expand its help into California, 
Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas, but that requires $25 million above 
the funding level.

                              {time}  1730

  Our amendment doesn't go to that level. Instead, we hope that we can 
ask for just a modest $5 million amount for Youth ChalleNGe to carry 
out its modest expansion of this program to reach at-risk children. It 
has proven to be a cost-effective investment.
  We thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and his staff for their efforts and 
their interest in this issue, and I urge all of my colleagues to 
support this bipartisan amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California 
(Mrs. Napolitano), my co-chair of the Youth ChalleNGe Caucus.
  Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman, my colleague 
who is the co-chair on the Congressional National Guard Youth ChalleNGe 
Caucus--bipartisan, may I add--to help our throwaway kids. They are 16- 
to 18-year-olds who have fallen through the cracks, so we work in a 
bipartisan manner to ensure that some of these youngsters have a second 
chance.
  We thank the Appropriations Committee for the funding increase over 
President Obama's 2016 request of $145 million.
  The 2016 Defense Appropriations will fund the National Guard Youth 
ChalleNGe Program at $150 million, with the current funding of $135 
million. As my colleague has stated, this amendment increases by $5 
million the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program to $155 million, and 
it reduces the operation and maintenance, defensewide account by the 
same amount. It helps to start new programs in four States. Each new 
program is $4 million. The California third program will cost $10 
million to $15 million due to the Superfund site.
  It is critical for hundreds of youth who are dropouts to have the 
same options to be able to have a second chance. The ChalleNGe program 
has graduated, as was stated, over 120,000 nationally. It is voluntary, 
free, with no cost to the child or to his or her family. It is a 22\1/
2\-week residential boot camp program that is led by the National Guard 
cadre. It also prepares them to reenter society and to be successful, 
to build employment potential, and to return to school. A 2012 RAND 
study finds, for every dollar spent, it results in a return of $2.66 to 
the taxpayer.
  It is rated as the best youth program in the Nation. It effectively 
addresses part of our Nation's dropout epidemic on a small level. It is 
beneficial to business, communities, and the Nation's ability to 
compete in our future economy. We need more programs, not fewer. More 
than 12,000 applicants are rejected due to no space, so we ask our 
colleagues to support this amendment.
  Mr. McKINLEY. Mr. Chairman, it is all about just trying to help these 
young kids get a second chance. By expanding this program as we are 
doing, which is a modest expansion to reach into some other States, we 
know we are going to reach some other lives that society has given up 
on. I don't want to give up on them, and I don't think our Nation wants 
to give up on them. This is a chance to do it, and I thank the 
committee for its support.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. McKinley).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Indiana is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I will not take the full 5 minutes, but 
I would just point out to all of my colleagues that we are on page 9 of 
a 163-page bill. This bill deals with the national security of this 
country. It contains $578,656,000,000, and we have already received two 
amendments that have been offered on the floor that were not made 
available to us. I would hope that this does not continue to be a 
practice during the coming debate on the remainder of the bill given 
the gravity of the bill, the subject matter, and the amendments, 
themselves.
  I would ask all of the Members to have the courtesy to make sure both 
the majority and the minority have their amendments in a timely fashion 
and, certainly, before we begin 5 minutes of debate on the floor of the 
House of Representatives. I would ask for that civility on behalf of 
all of the Members.
  I yield back the balance of my time.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Sablan

  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(reduced by $21,300,000)''.
       Page 16, line 24, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $21,300,000)''.

  Mr. SABLAN (during the reading). Mr. Chair, I ask that the amendment 
be considered as read and printed in the Record.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from the Northern Mariana Islands?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from the Northern Mariana Islands and a Member opposed each will 
control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Chair, we all agree that the Department of Defense 
has the responsibility to defend our Nation, but the Department also 
has a responsibility to clean up after itself when it contaminates our 
environment or threatens public health, and we in Congress have a 
responsibility to give the military the money it needs for that 
cleanup.
  The amendment I offer adds $21.3 million to the Formerly Used Defense 
Sites program.
  I plan to withdraw the amendment out of respect for Chairman 
Frelinghuysen and his subcommittee, which actually added $25 million to 
the FUDS program above the President's budget request. Yet I want to 
make the point

[[Page 9189]]

that we ought to keep the funding at the same level we appropriated in 
fiscal year 2015, which was $250 million, and that is what my amendment 
would do, because now is not the time for the military to backslide on 
its cleanup.
  There are 5,000 sites--in every State and territory--that we know are 
contaminated, and these sites are not in someone else's backyard. There 
are 87 of the Formerly Used Defense Sites in Chairman Frelinghuysen's 
State of New Jersey, and there are 42 FUDS sites in Ranking Member 
Visclosky's State of Indiana.
  In the district I represent, which is the Northern Mariana Islands, 
there are 24 contaminated areas, dating back to World War II, that are 
still waiting to be cleaned up. For example, there are 17 rusted fuel 
tanks in the little village of Tanapag that have been leaking oil into 
the ground since Harry Truman was President, and, every day, there are 
kids who are walking by on their way to school; there are fishermen in 
the lagoon just a few feet away; and there are families who are living 
with the smell of oil in their homes.
  This is not just an environmental issue. This unfinished cleanup 
damages our military's ability to defend our Nation. Let me explain.
  In the Northern Mariana Islands today, the Defense Department wants 
to expand training activities--using live fire, running pipelines, 
building more fuel tanks--doing the very things we know contaminate the 
environment and threaten public health. The people I represent are 
saying ``no'' to this expanded military activity.
  Now, restoring FUDS funding will not change anyone's mind about the 
military's proposed buildup in my district, but at least the military 
will have a little more credibility when it promises that it will clean 
up after itself because, if the people I represent see Congress cutting 
funding for FUDS, then the military's promise has no credibility at 
all.
  This is not just about the Northern Mariana Islands. This is a 
national issue. We have 5,000 sites currently identified for cleanup 
nationwide and another 10,000 on the list of potentially contaminated 
sites. Even if we appropriate $250 million for 2016, it is not enough. 
The Army Corps of Engineers estimates a full cleanup cost of $14 
billion. So, at $250 million a year, we will still be having this same 
discussion 50 years from now.
  Again, I commend the chairman and his subcommittee for adding the $25 
million to the Formerly Used Defense Sites program, but, ultimately, we 
all have to do better.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. SABLAN. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I appreciate the gentleman's statement before the 
floor and for his bringing the issue to the Members' attention.
  As you frankly point out, not only for the constituency you represent 
but whether it was in any of our districts, as you also rightfully 
point out, this is a national problem. It tends to be forgotten because 
it is not seen visually by the average constituent. It is a very 
serious health and environmental problem, and I do appreciate your 
raising it during this particular debate.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Chair, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from the Northern Mariana Islands?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Grayson

  Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(reduced by $10,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 1, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $10,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 9, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $10,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Florida and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is identical to an 
amendment offered last year that passed this body by a voice vote.
  Veterans of the first gulf war suffered from persistent symptoms, 
including chronic headaches, widespread pain, cognitive difficulties, 
debilitating fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, respiratory symptoms, 
and other abnormalities that are not explained by traditional medicine 
or by psychiatric diagnoses.
  Research shows that, as veterans from the first gulf war age, they 
are twice as likely to develop Lou Gehrig's disease as are their 
nondeployed peers. There also may be connections to multiple sclerosis 
and to Parkinson's disease. Sadly, there are no known treatments for 
this lifelong pain and affliction that these veterans must endure 
through this disease.
  For decades, the Veterans Health Administration has downplayed any 
neurological basis for the disease, but recent research has shown 
unequivocally that this disease is biological in nature. The time has 
come for us to right the wrong that our servicemen and -women have had 
to live with now for over 20 years. In this Department of Defense 
Appropriations bill, we allocate more money for breast cancer, 
orthopaedic, and prostate cancer research than we do for finding a cure 
for Gulf War Illness. Equivalent funds are appropriated for ovarian 
cancer research.
  I think if we are going to spend money on medical research within the 
Department of Defense, which I am in favor of, the Department must 
adequately fund research on those diseases that originate in war and 
wholly affect our servicemen and -women. Over a quarter of a million 
veterans display symptoms of this disease, and the time has come to 
find and to fund a cure for it.
  The offset for my amendment today comes from the $30 billion 
operation and maintenance, defensewide account. Congress has a 
responsibility to ensure that the gulf war veterans, who put it all on 
the line and are paying for that with a lifetime of pain, are not left 
behind. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and help find a 
cure for the Gulf War Illness.
  Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Grayson).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Grayson

  Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(reduced by $10,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 1, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $10,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 9, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $10,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Florida and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Chair, my amendment would increase funding for 
prostate cancer research by $10 million under the Defense Health 
Program.
  Prostate cancer is the second-most commonly diagnosed cancer in men 
and is the second-most common cause of a man's death. In 2015, 
approximately 220,800 men in the United States will be diagnosed with 
prostate cancer, and an estimated 27,540 will die from it.
  The Prostate Cancer Research Program is a unique research program in 
that it prioritizes research that will lead to the elimination of death 
from prostate cancer while enhancing the well-being of men who are 
experiencing the impact of that disease.
  To date, the Prostate Cancer Research Program has resulted in a total 
appropriation of over $1.3 billion, including $80 million last year. 
This

[[Page 9190]]

unique partnership among the military, prostate cancer survivors, 
clinicians, and scientists has changed the landscape of biomedical 
study, energizing the research community in conducting high-risk 
investigations that are more collaborative, innovative, and impactful 
on prostate cancer.
  This increase would result in a total funding level of $90 million, 
which is still $10 million below what this account was funded at in 
2001, more than a decade ago. The offset for my amendment comes from 
the $30 billion operation and maintenance, defensewide account.
  This amendment passed the House by a voice vote last year and as part 
of an en bloc amendment the year before. I hope that we will all agree 
on its passage again this year.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. GRAYSON. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I would like to thank the gentleman for his 
previous amendment, which I supported, and also for this amendment, 
which supports greater funds for prostate cancer research.
  Mr. Chairman, as a matter of history, my predecessor died from 
prostate cancer, and, of course, around this room and around the 
country, we know too many men who haven't done what they should do to 
look after their health and, therefore, the welfare of their families.

                              {time}  1745

  I want to commend the gentleman for his advocacy in this area and 
also remind those who are on the Hill that I think next week the House 
will be sponsoring a screening for all men here. It is a good way not 
only to look after yourself, but the people who love you. I want to 
commend the gentleman for his advocacy on an annual basis and thank him 
for yielding the time. I accept the amendment.
  Mr. GRAYSON. I reclaim my time.
  I want to thank the chairman for his kind and insightful words, and I 
want to thank the chairman for his leadership in making sure that the 
healthcare needs of those who serve are met.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Grayson).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                    Amendment Offered by Ms. Speier

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $5,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $5,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentlewoman 
from California and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Alzheimer's disease is a threat to our country--not a direct threat 
like ISIS or al Qaeda, but it is an insidious, persistent threat to the 
minds and bodies of our family members and to the fiscal health of our 
country.
  The Alzheimer's Association estimates that the cost of caring for 
people with Alzheimer's right now through the Medicare system is $226 
billion. By the year 2050, it will be $1.1 trillion. This is a genuine 
budgetary threat. If it grows unchecked, the cost to Medicare from a 
single disease will zap our ability to pay for national security. 
Interestingly enough and timely enough, on the front page of USA Today 
is a story that reads how 15 percent of seniors account for nearly one-
half of Medicare spending.
  We also have an epidemic among our soldiers. It is called traumatic 
brain injury, known as the signature wound of veterans from Afghanistan 
and Iraq. It affects our soldiers at a much higher rate than the 
civilian population, and the VA projects its 10-year costs at $2.2 
billion.
  TBI is also closely linked to Alzheimer's. For 30 years, we have 
known about a clear correlation between TBI and the risk of developing 
Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. By researching the 
link between TBI and Alzheimer's, we can help cure both.
  I applaud the chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on 
Defense of the Committee on Appropriations for increasing the funding 
for the Peer Reviewed Alzheimer's Research Program from $12 million to 
its presequestration levels of $15 million, but the funding for 
Alzheimer's research in the United States is still underresourced.
  Today, I am offering this amendment to increase the funding for the 
Peer Reviewed Program by $5 million, which would take it up to $20 
million. This modest investment on the front end in research can 
eventually yield billions in savings in the future on the cost of care. 
That is why I urge my colleagues to support our servicemembers with TBI 
and Alzheimer's and vote ``yes'' on this amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I thank the Members on both sides of the aisle.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Speier).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                     Amendment Offered by Mr. Takai

  Mr. TAKAI. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(reduced by $25,000,000) (increased by 
     $25,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Hawaii and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Hawaii.
  Mr. TAKAI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I 
would first like to thank the chairman and the ranking member for this 
opportunity.
  Mr. Chairman, I offer this amendment with Mr. Jones of North 
Carolina. Our bipartisan amendment would increase DOD's supplemental 
impact aid to $55 million, $25 million more than appropriated in the 
bill currently. This would benefit schools in almost every school 
district that hold a military installation. Schools that had 20 percent 
average daily attendance of military-dependent students in the 
preceding year as counted on their Federal impact aid application are 
eligible to receive funding on an annual basis.
  Congress has recognized the needs faced by many school districts 
educating a large number of military children and has consistently 
provided increases in this aid; yet last year, in fiscal year 2015, 
this funding was dropped from $45 million to $25 million. This is not 
enough. With the stress put on military kids throughout the past years, 
this aid should be increasing, not decreasing.
  The education of a military child is a military readiness issue. The 
men and women serving in the military today have to rely on local 
school districts to provide quality education and counseling programs 
for their students and children.
  Earlier this year, a letter signed by many Members of this Congress 
and endorsed by multiple organizations asking for this critical program 
to be fully supported at $50 million for DOD impact aid, with $5 
million for children of military families with severe disabilities, was 
sent to the House Committee on Appropriations. As we know, we have to 
offset any funding increase for one program with another if we play by 
the rules, and I have done so with this amendment.
  Our amendment is fully offset by using funding from an Office of the 
Secretary of Defense servicewide administration account, O&M 
defensewide. The children are our future, and many that grow up in our 
military families today will be the military leaders of our future. I 
urge my colleagues to vote for this amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Takai).

[[Page 9191]]

  The amendment was agreed to.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Conyers

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $15,000,000)''.
       Page 74, line 8, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $10,000,000)''.
       Page 74, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $10,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Michigan and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
  Mr. CONYERS. Ladies and gentlemen of the House, this amendment is 
designed specifically to support the men and women of the United States 
Armed Forces and to dramatically improve their quality of life while 
they are deployed.
  On a daily basis, the United Service Organizations, USO, reaches 
United States military members in numerous ways. They provide calling 
cards at deployed locations for servicemembers to call their families. 
They provide toiletries and necessities for deployed servicemembers and 
those in austere locations. They are the first persons to welcome back 
redeploying servicemembers. They volunteer to run morale and welfare 
tents offering Internet connectivity for deployed locations. Connecting 
troops to their families through calling cards and the Internet is just 
part of the USO's 40-plus program repertoire, but it is incredibly 
important to our deployed men and women and to their spouses, parents, 
siblings, and children.
  In an era where our servicemembers are fighting prolonged wars, 
connecting them to their families and friends back home is a service to 
our military that we cannot afford to underfund. In fact, 93 percent of 
troops surveyed in 2012 agreed that USO services boost morale, ease 
separation from friends and family, and convey a feeling of support to 
the servicemember. Unfortunately, however, our deployed servicemembers 
too often go to the USO tent only to find that USO provisions, 
including supplies and calling cards, have run out. Increasing funding 
to the USO will help alleviate this unacceptable problem.
  In the proposed fiscal year 2016 Defense Appropriations bill, the USO 
is funded at just $20 million. This amendment will reduce the 
operations and maintenance defensewide account by less than one two-
thousandths, while having an immeasurable impact on the quality of life 
of our servicemen and -women.
  It is past time that we direct sufficient funds to the quality of 
life of the men and women that sacrifice everything to defend our 
Nation. I urge Members on both sides of the aisle to support it.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CONYERS. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I would like to salute the dean of the House for 
his strong support of the USO. Over 40 years ago, I was one of those 
soldiers, and it made a real difference in my life.
  All of us want to thank the gentleman for his significant leadership 
here over so many years and for choosing this incredibly wonderful 
organization to plus up.
  I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. CONYERS. I thank the chairman.
  Mr. Chairman, I urge support for the amendment. I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers).
  The amendment was agreed to.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Keating

  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 9, line 6, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(reduced by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 1, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 9, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 20, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order. We 
haven't received a copy of the amendment. We would like to see a copy 
of the amendment if that would be possible. That is the reason for the 
reservation.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will distribute copies of the amendment.
  A point of order is reserved.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman from Massachusetts 
and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.
  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment to add 
an additional $1 million for research and development for Duchenne 
muscular dystrophy. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the most common 
lethal genetic disorder affecting American children today.

                              {time}  1800

  It is a progressive neuromuscular disorder that affects approximately 
1 in every 3,500 boys or 200,000 babies born each year worldwide. Over 
time, patients experience severe loss of muscle strength and control.
  Most boys diagnosed with Duchenne lose their ability to walk by the 
time they become teenagers. There is no known cure for Duchenne, and 
life expectancies for individuals with this disease are significantly 
shortened. Many do not live past their 21st birthday.
  Like many of my colleagues, I have met with many Duchenne patients 
and their families and have seen the impact this disease has and what 
it imparts on their daily lives.
  There have been very promising advances in recent years, including 
development of a new drug which has achieved success in early clinical 
trials. I have had one child in my district confined to a wheelchair 
who, under this clinical trial, is able to walk by himself currently. 
However, much more work needs to be done to find a cure for this 
disease and to better understand what causes Duchenne in the first 
place.
  This amendment will directly benefit the thousands of Duchenne 
patients throughout the United States, as well as their countless loved 
ones who care for them every day. By increasing funding for peer-
reviewed research, institutions across the country will have additional 
resources necessary to make progress on eliminating this devastating 
disease.
  We as a nation are on the cusp of historic progress in advancing 
critical research. Now is the time to recommit to robust support of our 
country's biomedical research for this disease.
  In closing, I would like to thank the countless physicians, 
researchers, and scientists who work tirelessly to find a cure for 
Duchenne. I would also like to thank the Jett Foundation, which has 
long been a national leader in increasing awareness and providing 
support for patients and their families.
  I urge my colleagues to support my amendment, and I thank the chair 
and ranking member for their consideration.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve my point of 
order. We are doing a little more homework on the amendment. Certainly, 
I am supportive of it.
  I claim the time in opposition, although I support the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from New Jersey is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I understand the gentleman's concern is the lack of 
the copy of the amendment?
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I think we wanted to make sure we have the figures 
that go with what it is set against.
  Mr. Chairman, we want to make sure it comports to the rule of the 
House.

[[Page 9192]]

We are not against it. We just want to make sure it is in order.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I apologize. We had moved this with a 
later change to the defensewide operations and maintenance fund for the 
pay-for for this; that probably explains this balance, but it is coming 
from that portion. The $1 million, I think, is in excess, if my memory 
is correct, of the $3.5 million that is already there.
  We are able to leverage this for a greater opportunity to move 
quickly on this. That is the rationale. That is where it came from.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. While I check the figures to make sure that it is 
properly offset, I continue to reserve my point of order.
  Mr. KEATING. I would just like to ask the gentleman from New Jersey 
(Mr. Frelinghuysen), the chairman, if that information is currently 
being analyzed now.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. If the gentleman will yield, there is some 
consultation going on at the desk. At the conclusion of those 
consultations with the Parliamentarian, I will have a better 
opportunity to respond in, hopefully, a more positive fashion.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. KEATING. I thank the chairman for the effort he is going through 
and the consideration he is giving with this.
  Many times, we have the opportunity to talk to families and deal with 
issues. In this particular instance, we have an opportunity. As I 
mentioned, we are right on the cusp of very significant research. 
Leveraging a small additional amount now would have tremendous 
ramifications.
  I was just completely struck by the fact that I saw a person--a young 
boy in his teens, confined to a wheelchair, like so many of those 
afflicted with this terrible disease have had to suffer through, and as 
a result of those clinical trials, to see that person no longer in a 
wheelchair and up and ambulatory and walking, those are the type of 
dramatic improvements we are on the cusp of right now.
  That is why this amendment just seeks to get an incremental increase 
with that because I think it would be leveraged and have enormous 
significance as a result.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. While I continue to reserve, let me compliment the 
gentleman on his amendment, as we do further investigation on the 
offsets.
  Medical research for diseases that affect our military members and 
their families are a priority of our committee; you can be sure of 
that. That is why our bill includes $3.2 million, again, this year for 
the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Program.
  The committee has provided, which I think would be of interest, more 
than $43 million for this research area since fiscal year 2003, and you 
have alluded to it, but research breakthroughs in this area will only 
help those suffering from this debilitating disease, but will also help 
research in other various muscular and motor neuron diseases.
  I think the research is absolutely essential, and I think we are 
closer to a resolution of the issue that would allow me to withdraw my 
reservation. I thank the gentleman for his indulgence.
  I would be happy to withdraw my reservation of the point of order and 
support the amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The reservation is withdrawn.
  Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for his indulgence 
and patience and the good work he has done in this respect, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Keating).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                Operation and Maintenance, Army Reserve

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary for the 
     operation and maintenance, including training, organization, 
     and administration, of the Army Reserve; repair of facilities 
     and equipment; hire of passenger motor vehicles; travel and 
     transportation; care of the dead; recruiting; procurement of 
     services, supplies, and equipment; and communications, 
     $2,644,274,000.

                Operation and Maintenance, Navy Reserve

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary for the 
     operation and maintenance, including training, organization, 
     and administration, of the Navy Reserve; repair of facilities 
     and equipment; hire of passenger motor vehicles; travel and 
     transportation; care of the dead; recruiting; procurement of 
     services, supplies, and equipment; and communications, 
     $999,621,000.

            Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps Reserve

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary for the 
     operation and maintenance, including training, organization, 
     and administration, of the Marine Corps Reserve; repair of 
     facilities and equipment; hire of passenger motor vehicles; 
     travel and transportation; care of the dead; recruiting; 
     procurement of services, supplies, and equipment; and 
     communications, $276,761,000.

              Operation and Maintenance, Air Force Reserve

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary for the 
     operation and maintenance, including training, organization, 
     and administration, of the Air Force Reserve; repair of 
     facilities and equipment; hire of passenger motor vehicles; 
     travel and transportation; care of the dead; recruiting; 
     procurement of services, supplies, and equipment; and 
     communications, $2,815,862,000.

             Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard

       For expenses of training, organizing, and administering the 
     Army National Guard, including medical and hospital treatment 
     and related expenses in non-Federal hospitals; maintenance, 
     operation, and repairs to structures and facilities; hire of 
     passenger motor vehicles; personnel services in the National 
     Guard Bureau; travel expenses (other than mileage), as 
     authorized by law for Army personnel on active duty, for Army 
     National Guard division, regimental, and battalion commanders 
     while inspecting units in compliance with National Guard 
     Bureau regulations when specifically authorized by the Chief, 
     National Guard Bureau; supplying and equipping the Army 
     National Guard as authorized by law; and expenses of repair, 
     modification, maintenance, and issue of supplies and 
     equipment (including aircraft), $6,731,119,000.

             Operation and Maintenance, Air National Guard

       For expenses of training, organizing, and administering the 
     Air National Guard, including medical and hospital treatment 
     and related expenses in non-Federal hospitals; maintenance, 
     operation, and repairs to structures and facilities; 
     transportation of things, hire of passenger motor vehicles; 
     supplying and equipping the Air National Guard, as authorized 
     by law; expenses for repair, modification, maintenance, and 
     issue of supplies and equipment, including those furnished 
     from stocks under the control of agencies of the Department 
     of Defense; travel expenses (other than mileage) on the same 
     basis as authorized by law for Air National Guard personnel 
     on active Federal duty, for Air National Guard commanders 
     while inspecting units in compliance with National Guard 
     Bureau regulations when specifically authorized by the Chief, 
     National Guard Bureau, $6,605,400,000.

          United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces

       For salaries and expenses necessary for the United States 
     Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, $14,078,000, of which 
     not to exceed $5,000 may be used for official representation 
     purposes.

                    Environmental Restoration, Army

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the Department of the Army, $234,829,000, to remain 
     available until transferred: Provided, That the Secretary of 
     the Army shall, upon determining that such funds are required 
     for environmental restoration, reduction and recycling of 
     hazardous waste, removal of unsafe buildings and debris of 
     the Department of the Army, or for similar purposes, transfer 
     the funds made available by this appropriation to other 
     appropriations made available to the Department of the Army, 
     to be merged with and to be available for the same purposes 
     and for the same time period as the appropriations to which 
     transferred: Provided further, That upon a determination that 
     all or part of the funds transferred from this appropriation 
     are not necessary for the purposes provided herein, such 
     amounts may be transferred back to this appropriation: 
     Provided further, That the transfer authority provided under 
     this heading is in addition to any other transfer authority 
     provided elsewhere in this Act.


                  Amendment Offered by Ms. Jackson Lee

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.

[[Page 9193]]

  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 13, line 18, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $1,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentlewoman 
from Texas and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Again, I want to begin by thanking the chairman of 
the subcommittee and the ranking member of the subcommittee and their 
staff because I have worked on this in past appropriations and had the 
privilege of receiving the support of both the chair and the ranking 
member on the question of post-traumatic stress disorder.
  I heard the chairman mention both Chairman Young and Chairman Murtha. 
Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with them on this 
question of post-traumatic stress disorder.
  I just want to use a little anecdote, particularly as it relates to 
Vietnam vets. Many of us remember Vietnam vets coming back and, some 
long years later, getting a better understanding of Agent Orange. I 
remember a Vietnam vet telling me about it, but as he indicated, they 
mentioned it or spoke about it or tried to explain it when they came 
back directly from Vietnam.
  It was a long time before the understanding came about Agent Orange, 
and in years going forward, there was great medical care needed, 
medical costs needed, because those veterans had been suffering for a 
long time.
  We now understand post-traumatic stress disorder; and, as I look over 
the landscape of the last years of war, Operation Iraqi Freedom and 
Operation Enduring Freedom, about 11 to 20 out of every 100 veterans, 
or 11 to 20 percent, who served have post-traumatic stress disorder in 
any given year.
  In the Gulf war, Operation Desert Storm, about 12 out of every 100 
Gulf war veterans who still live have PTSD in any given year. In the 
Vietnam war, about 15 out of every 100 Vietnam vets, or 15 percent, are 
currently diagnosed with PTSD. In a recent study in the late 1980s, the 
National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study stated that it is 
estimated about 30 out of every 100.
  Other factors contribute to it, and, if you listen to individuals who 
have PTSD, they seek to be part of a normal life and to work and 
survive and provide for their families.
  My amendment is simple. It adds an extra $1 million to increase 
funding for PTSD. These funds will be used to outreach activities 
targeting hard-to-reach veterans, especially those who are homeless and 
reside in underserved urban and rural areas who suffer from post-
traumatic stress disorder.
  I had the privilege a couple of years ago to provide a PTSD facility 
that was offsite of a veterans hospital in a small, community-based 
hospital. Mr. Chairman, the response from veterans was amazing because 
they were able to come to an offsite location for counseling in PTSD.
  We know that the tragedies of war last with men and women for a very 
long time. I am hoping that my colleagues will support this amendment 
again to ease the trauma of the thoughts that these men and women have, 
the nightmares when they sleep, because they really want to be--as they 
are--contributing members of society.
  Again, I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Will the gentlewoman yield?
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Let me commend the gentlewoman for your strong 
advocacy.
  Just for the record, our bill does provide $155 million, including a 
plus up of $1 million above the request level of $55 million, for 
traumatic brain injury and psychological health research.
  Additionally, our bill includes $676 million in operation and 
maintenance funding within the Department of Health program to care for 
servicemembers affected by TBI and psychological health injuries.
  We welcome the additional money; we accept your amendment, and I 
commend you for your efforts.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Reclaiming my time, I applaud the compassion that 
the chairman and the ranking member have had in the writing of this 
legislation, highlighting several very important points needed for our 
servicemen and -women, and I am grateful for the support of the 
additional resources, continuing the advocacy for them.
  In closing, let me thank this Congress for the wounded warrior that I 
have in my office. He is someone who suffers from PTSD. He has been an 
excellent staff person in reaching out to the veterans throughout my 
community.
  He is an example of the fact that, when you have treatment, you can 
be part of contributing to society, as they all want to be, even with 
some of the challenges they have.
  Mr. Chair, I want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member 
Visclosky for shepherding this legislation to the floor and for their 
devotion to the men and women of the Armed Forces who risk their lives 
to keep our nation safe.
  Mr. Chair, thank you for the opportunity to explain my amendment, 
which is virtually identical to an amendment that I offered and was 
adopted in last year's Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 2685).
  My amendment increases funding for the PTSD by $1,000,000. These 
funds should be used toward outreach activities targeting hard to reach 
veterans, especially those who are homeless or reside in underserved 
urban and rural areas, who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder 
(PTSD).
  Mr. Chair, along with traumatic brain injury, PTSD is the signature 
wound suffered by the brave men and women fighting in Afghanistan, 
Iraq, and far off lands to defend the values and freedom we hold dear.
  For those of us whose daily existence is not lived in harm's way, it 
is difficult to imagine the horrific images that American servicemen 
and women deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other theaters of war see 
on a daily basis.
  In an instant a suicide bomber, an IED, or an insurgent can 
obliterate your best friend and right in front of your face. Yet, you 
are trained and expected to continue on with the mission, and you do, 
even though you may not even have reached your 20th birthday.
  But there always comes a reckoning. And it usually comes after the 
stress and trauma of battle is over and you are alone with your 
thoughts and memories.
  And the horror of those desperate and dangerous encounters with the 
enemy and your own mortality come flooding back.
  PTSD was first brought to public attention in relation to war 
veterans, but it can result from a variety of traumatic incidents, such 
as torture, being kidnapped or held captive, bombings, or natural 
disasters such as floods or earthquakes.
  People with PTSD may startle easily, become emotionally numb 
(especially in relation to people with whom they used to be close), 
lose interest in things they used to enjoy, have trouble feeling 
affectionate, be irritable, become more aggressive, or even become 
violent.
  They avoid situations that remind them of the original incident, and 
anniversaries of the incident are often very difficult.
  Most people with PTSD repeatedly relive the trauma in their thoughts 
during the day and in nightmares when they sleep. These are called 
flashbacks. A person having a flashback may lose touch with reality and 
believe that the traumatic incident is happening all over again.
  Mr. Chair, the fact of the matter is that most veterans with PTSD 
also have other psychiatric disorders, which are a consequence of PTSD. 
These veterans have co-occurring disorders, which include depression, 
alcohol and/or drug abuse problems, panic, and/or other anxiety 
disorders.
  My amendment recognizes that these soldiers are first and foremost, 
human. They carry their experiences with them.
  Ask a veteran of Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan about the frequency of 
nightmares they experience, and one will realize that serving in the 
Armed Forces leaves a lasting impression, whether good or bad.
  My amendment will help ensure that ``no soldier is left behind'' by 
addressing the urgent need for more outreach toward hard to reach 
veterans suffering from PTSD, especially those who are homeless or 
reside in underserved urban and rural areas of our country.
  I urge my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I ask for support of the amendment, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.

[[Page 9194]]



                              {time}  1815

  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                    Environmental Restoration, Navy

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the Department of the Navy, $300,000,000, to remain 
     available until transferred: Provided, That the Secretary of 
     the Navy shall, upon determining that such funds are required 
     for environmental restoration, reduction and recycling of 
     hazardous waste, removal of unsafe buildings and debris of 
     the Department of the Navy, or for similar purposes, transfer 
     the funds made available by this appropriation to other 
     appropriations made available to the Department of the Navy, 
     to be merged with and to be available for the same purposes 
     and for the same time period as the appropriations to which 
     transferred: Provided further, That upon a determination that 
     all or part of the funds transferred from this appropriation 
     are not necessary for the purposes provided herein, such 
     amounts may be transferred back to this appropriation: 
     Provided further, That the transfer authority provided under 
     this heading is in addition to any other transfer authority 
     provided elsewhere in this Act.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Lamborn

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 14, line 13, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(reduced by $10,290,000)''.
       Page 33, line 3, after the dollar amount insert the 
     following: ``(increased by $10,290,000)''.

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the 
gentleman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. A point of order is reserved.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman from Colorado and a 
Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. 
I will be offering and then withdrawing this amendment because of a 
point of order on the timing of the budget outlays that we are not able 
to reconcile at this point in time.
  But I want to thank the chairman of the subcommittee, Chairman 
Frelinghuysen, and Ranking Member Visclosky, for their leadership.
  Now, this is an important amendment though. My amendment would 
protect from possible cancellation an innovative program that promises 
to provide a breakthrough capability for a very small amount of money.
  Right now, if Iran or North Korea launches a ballistic missile attack 
on our homeland, we, unfortunately, have no enhanced way of knowing 
whether or not our defensive missiles actually hit the target or not.
  That is why the Missile Defense Agency is executing a promising and 
groundbreaking space sensor system called Space-based Kill Assessment.
  The U.S. desperately needs improved sensors in space to provide 
tracking, discrimination, and more. A robust, multimission space sensor 
network will be vital to ensuring a strong missile defense program. 
Without this, we might otherwise waste extremely expensive ground-based 
interceptors, costing the taxpayer more money, and depleting our 
limited number of interceptors.
  The Space-based Kill Assessment program cannot survive a 50 percent 
cut. Program cancellation may result, and it would waste taxpayer 
dollars already invested and would also fail to meet congressional 
intent to have an initial operating kill assessment capability by 2019.
  This experiment, up until today, has had zero scheduling delays since 
it was conceived in fiscal year 2014.
  Finally, this program is a great example of the cost savings and 
other benefits the government can leverage through commercially-hosted 
satellite payloads. This program, and other similar efforts, are 
critical to ensuring that the United States stays ahead of future 
ballistic missile threats.
  I would hope that this amendment would have been adopted because it 
would take money from a lower priority fund and put it into critical 
ballistic missile defense against our homeland.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. LAMBORN. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Allow me to commend the gentleman from Colorado 
for pointing up the value of what he talks about here. And let me 
promise to him that I am sure I will be working very closely with Mr. 
Visclosky to see what we can do to elevate our investment and our 
knowledge and support for this program.
  I do appreciate your willingness to withdraw the amendment and regret 
that the outlay issue somewhat has complicated matters on the floor 
this evening.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Reclaiming my time, I appreciate the subcommittee 
chairman's words, and I will certainly work with him on that effort.
  Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                  Environmental Restoration, Air Force

                     (including transfer of funds)

         For the Department of the Air Force, $368,131,000, to 
     remain available until transferred: Provided, That the 
     Secretary of the Air Force shall, upon determining that such 
     funds are required for environmental restoration, reduction 
     and recycling of hazardous waste, removal of unsafe buildings 
     and debris of the Department of the Air Force, or for similar 
     purposes, transfer the funds made available by this 
     appropriation to other appropriations made available to the 
     Department of the Air Force, to be merged with and to be 
     available for the same purposes and for the same time period 
     as the appropriations to which transferred: Provided further, 
     That upon a determination that all or part of the funds 
     transferred from this appropriation are not necessary for the 
     purposes provided herein, such amounts may be transferred 
     back to this appropriation: Provided further, That the 
     transfer authority provided under this heading is in addition 
     to any other transfer authority provided elsewhere in this 
     Act.

                Environmental Restoration, Defense-Wide

                     (including transfer of funds)

         For the Department of Defense, $8,232,000, to remain 
     available until transferred: Provided, That the Secretary of 
     Defense shall, upon determining that such funds are required 
     for environmental restoration, reduction and recycling of 
     hazardous waste, removal of unsafe buildings and debris of 
     the Department of Defense, or for similar purposes, transfer 
     the funds made available by this appropriation to other 
     appropriations made available to the Department of Defense, 
     to be merged with and to be available for the same purposes 
     and for the same time period as the appropriations to which 
     transferred: Provided further, That upon a determination that 
     all or part of the funds transferred from this appropriation 
     are not necessary for the purposes provided herein, such 
     amounts may be transferred back to this appropriation: 
     Provided further, That the transfer authority provided under 
     this heading is in addition to any other transfer authority 
     provided elsewhere in this Act.

         Environmental Restoration, Formerly Used Defense Sites

                     (including transfer of funds)

         For the Department of the Army, $228,717,000, to remain 
     available until transferred: Provided, That the Secretary of 
     the Army shall, upon determining that such funds are required 
     for environmental restoration, reduction and recycling of 
     hazardous waste, removal of unsafe buildings and debris at 
     sites formerly used by the Department of Defense, transfer 
     the funds made available by this appropriation to other 
     appropriations made available to the Department of the Army, 
     to be merged with and to be available for the same purposes 
     and for the same time period as the appropriations to which 
     transferred: Provided further, That upon a determination that 
     all or part of the funds transferred from this appropriation 
     are not necessary for the purposes provided herein, such 
     amounts may be transferred back to this appropriation: 
     Provided further, That the transfer authority provided under 
     this heading is in addition to any other transfer authority 
     provided elsewhere in this Act.

             Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid

         For expenses relating to the Overseas Humanitarian, 
     Disaster, and Civic Aid programs of the Department of Defense 
     (consisting of the programs provided under sections 401, 402, 
     404, 407, 2557, and 2561 of title

[[Page 9195]]

     10, United States Code), $103,266,000, to remain available 
     until September 30, 2017.

                  Cooperative Threat Reduction Account

         For assistance to the republics of the former Soviet 
     Union and, with appropriate authorization by the Department 
     of Defense and Department of State, to countries outside of 
     the former Soviet Union, including assistance provided by 
     contract or by grants, for facilitating the elimination and 
     the safe and secure transportation and storage of nuclear, 
     chemical and other weapons; for establishing programs to 
     prevent the proliferation of weapons, weapons components, and 
     weapon-related technology and expertise; for programs 
     relating to the training and support of defense and military 
     personnel for demilitarization and protection of weapons, 
     weapons components, and weapons technology and expertise, and 
     for defense and military contacts, $358,496,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2018.

      Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Fund

         For the Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce 
     Development Fund, $84,140,000.

                               TITLE III

                              PROCUREMENT

                       Aircraft Procurement, Army

         For construction, procurement, production, modification, 
     and modernization of aircraft, equipment, including ordnance, 
     ground handling equipment, spare parts, and accessories 
     therefor; specialized equipment and training devices; 
     expansion of public and private plants, including the land 
     necessary therefor, for the foregoing purposes, and such 
     lands and interests therein, may be acquired, and 
     construction prosecuted thereon prior to approval of title; 
     and procurement and installation of equipment, appliances, 
     and machine tools in public and private plants; reserve plant 
     and Government and contractor-owned equipment layaway; and 
     other expenses necessary for the foregoing purposes, 
     $5,336,971,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2018.

                       Missile Procurement, Army

         For construction, procurement, production, modification, 
     and modernization of missiles, equipment, including ordnance, 
     ground handling equipment, spare parts, and accessories 
     therefor; specialized equipment and training devices; 
     expansion of public and private plants, including the land 
     necessary therefor, for the foregoing purposes, and such 
     lands and interests therein, may be acquired, and 
     construction prosecuted thereon prior to approval of title; 
     and procurement and installation of equipment, appliances, 
     and machine tools in public and private plants; reserve plant 
     and Government and contractor-owned equipment layaway; and 
     other expenses necessary for the foregoing purposes, 
     $1,160,482,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2018.

        Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army

         For construction, procurement, production, and 
     modification of weapons and tracked combat vehicles, 
     equipment, including ordnance, spare parts, and accessories 
     therefor; specialized equipment and training devices; 
     expansion of public and private plants, including the land 
     necessary therefor, for the foregoing purposes, and such 
     lands and interests therein, may be acquired, and 
     construction prosecuted thereon prior to approval of title; 
     and procurement and installation of equipment, appliances, 
     and machine tools in public and private plants; reserve plant 
     and Government and contractor-owned equipment layaway; and 
     other expenses necessary for the foregoing purposes, 
     $1,805,773,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2018.


                Amendment Offered by Mr. Heck of Nevada

  Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 20, line 17, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $100,000,000) (increased by $100,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Nevada and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nevada.
  Mr. HECK of Nevada. Mr. Chairman, my amendment would direct the Army 
to prioritize the modernization of the oldest Bradley Fighting Vehicles 
in the fleet.
  The Army maintains a program to modify and standardize its Bradley 
Fleet to two digital configurations, the M2A3 and the M2A2 ODS-SA. 
These two variants are the most advanced versions of the Bradley 
Fighting Vehicle and provide our soldiers significant improvements in 
survivability and force protection.
  These upgrades feature advanced digitized electronics to provide 
troops with optimal situational awareness, network connectivity, and 
enhanced communication hardware within the heavy brigade combat team.
  Almost all units within the Active Army components and prepositioned 
stocks are fielded with these digital configurations. Unfortunately, 
there are still National Guard units that have not yet received these 
upgrades and are fielded with obsolete, nonstandard, nondigital M2A2 
Operation Desert Storm variants.
  Maintaining these outdated vehicles within the National Guard will 
severely restrict our servicemembers' ability to maintain proficiency 
in the technical requirements necessary to operate the advanced digital 
Bradleys utilized in combat operations.
  This will result in significant degradation of combat effectiveness 
of these units and poses a significant risk to units who deploy with 
the older Bradley variant, or train on the older variant but fall in on 
the newer models in theater.
  Furthermore, servicemembers within these units will face significant 
and unnecessary challenges in maintaining their Military Occupational 
Specialty qualifications.
  Mr. Chairman, the Army has an existing program of record for the 
remanufacturing of Bradley vehicles to attain updated digital 
configurations. It exists within the President's budget under 
Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Vehicles: Bradley Modifications.
  This year's budget request includes $225 million for Bradley 
modifications. Unfortunately, none of these funds were designated for 
the Bradley Fighting Vehicles digital upgrades. In fact, the 
President's budget does not provide funding for these upgrades over the 
entire FYDP.
  So it is unclear whether or not these Operation Desert Storm-era 
Bradley vehicles will ever receive the upgrades necessary to make them 
combat effective or adequate training platforms. It is for this reason 
I am offering this amendment.
  My amendment would designate and fence off $100 million of the $1.8 
billion under the Army's procurement of weapons and tracked combat 
vehicles accounts to prioritize and upgrade the oldest Bradley Fighting 
Vehicles in the fleet. This is 0.005 percent of the total 
appropriation.
  The $100 million is less than half of what is necessary to upgrade 
the remaining nondigital, nonstandard variants, but it is an important 
step to ensuring that the combat formations within our National Guard 
maintain the combat effectiveness and readiness they have attained over 
the last decade.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I very much regret that I must rise 
in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I very much regret that I rise in opposition to 
the amendment, knowing what a strong supporter of our national defense 
the gentleman from Nevada is and what a strong supporter he is of the 
National Guard, not only across the Nation, but in his own State. And I 
regret even more so since we have been talking about this for several 
weeks. I feel badly that I have to rise.
  The amendment, as the gentleman has stated, directs the Secretary of 
the Army to repurpose approximately one-half of the $225 million in the 
budget request that was requested and included for the Bradley Fighting 
Vehicle Upgrade Program.
  The amendment would direct the Army to revise the schedule for the 
Bradley Upgrade Program by accelerating the schedule for providing more 
modern Bradley Fighting Vehicles to the 1st Squadron of the 221st 
Armored Cavalry of the Nevada National Guard, which I am sure is most 
deserving because, as he said, they have the oldest of the oldest.
  Having said that, the schedule change would disrupt, as I am advised, 
a carefully synchronized plan for Abrams Tank and Bradley Fighting 
Vehicle modernization and would cause

[[Page 9196]]

production breaks at both manufacturing lines.
  The production break would also add significant startup costs to the 
Bradley Engineering Change Proposal 2. In other words, this amendment 
would throw out of balance the Army-wide armor modernization plans and 
drive up costs in order for one squadron of one State's Guard forces to 
receive more modern vehicles.
  As you can tell, Mr. Chairman, from my rather convoluted response, I 
am prepared to work with the gentleman from Nevada to assist him, but 
at this point, I need to regretfully oppose his amendment.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I appreciate the chairman's offer to work with the 
gentleman as we proceed but would associate myself with the chairman's 
concerns relative to the amendment that has been offered and, 
particularly, with an emphasis to the break in production, which I 
think is a very serious issue.
  So I do want to associate myself with the chairman's concerns and 
objection that he has raised, but again, his willingness to work with 
the gentleman in the future.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Reclaiming my time, I do recommend a ``no'' vote, 
but I certainly make a, I hope, valid offer to work with the gentleman 
because I know that he is going to be working on me to make sure that 
this occurs, and I want to be helpful to him. I thank the gentleman.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HECK of Nevada. Thank you both, Mr. Chairman and ranking member, 
for your offer to work with me to try to rectify the situation where we 
have an important National Guard unit that is dealing with and working 
with Desert Storm-era Bradley Fighting Vehicles and, yet, expected to 
be ready to deploy on to the newer materiel in theater should they ever 
be called.
  With your assurance to work with me on this effort, I appreciate 
that.
  I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Nevada?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                    Procurement of Ammunition, Army

         For construction, procurement, production, and 
     modification of ammunition, and accessories therefor; 
     specialized equipment and training devices; expansion of 
     public and private plants, including ammunition facilities, 
     authorized by section 2854 of title 10, United States Code, 
     and the land necessary therefor, for the foregoing purposes, 
     and such lands and interests therein, may be acquired, and 
     construction prosecuted thereon prior to approval of title; 
     and procurement and installation of equipment, appliances, 
     and machine tools in public and private plants; reserve plant 
     and Government and contractor-owned equipment layaway; and 
     other expenses necessary for the foregoing purposes, 
     $1,007,778,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2018.

                        Other Procurement, Army

         For construction, procurement, production, and 
     modification of vehicles, including tactical, support, and 
     non-tracked combat vehicles; the purchase of passenger motor 
     vehicles for replacement only; communications and electronic 
     equipment; other support equipment; spare parts, ordnance, 
     and accessories therefor; specialized equipment and training 
     devices; expansion of public and private plants, including 
     the land necessary therefor, for the foregoing purposes, and 
     such lands and interests therein, may be acquired, and 
     construction prosecuted thereon prior to approval of title; 
     and procurement and installation of equipment, appliances, 
     and machine tools in public and private plants; reserve plant 
     and Government and contractor-owned equipment layaway; and 
     other expenses necessary for the foregoing purposes, 
     $5,230,677,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2018.

                       Aircraft Procurement, Navy

         For construction, procurement, production, modification, 
     and modernization of aircraft, equipment, including ordnance, 
     spare parts, and accessories therefor; specialized equipment; 
     expansion of public and private plants, including the land 
     necessary therefor, and such lands and interests therein, may 
     be acquired, and construction prosecuted thereon prior to 
     approval of title; and procurement and installation of 
     equipment, appliances, and machine tools in public and 
     private plants; reserve plant and Government and contractor-
     owned equipment layaway, $16,871,819,000, to remain available 
     for obligation until September 30, 2018.

                       Weapons Procurement, Navy

         For construction, procurement, production, modification, 
     and modernization of missiles, torpedoes, other weapons, and 
     related support equipment including spare parts, and 
     accessories therefor; expansion of public and private plants, 
     including the land necessary therefor, and such lands and 
     interests therein, may be acquired, and construction 
     prosecuted thereon prior to approval of title; and 
     procurement and installation of equipment, appliances, and 
     machine tools in public and private plants; reserve plant and 
     Government and contractor-owned equipment layaway, 
     $2,998,541,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2018.

            Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps

         For construction, procurement, production, and 
     modification of ammunition, and accessories therefor; 
     specialized equipment and training devices; expansion of 
     public and private plants, including ammunition facilities, 
     authorized by section 2854 of title 10, United States Code, 
     and the land necessary therefor, for the foregoing purposes, 
     and such lands and interests therein, may be acquired, and 
     construction prosecuted thereon prior to approval of title; 
     and procurement and installation of equipment, appliances, 
     and machine tools in public and private plants; reserve plant 
     and Government and contractor-owned equipment layaway; and 
     other expenses necessary for the foregoing purposes, 
     $559,141,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2018.

                   Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy

                     (including transfer of funds)

         For expenses necessary for the construction, acquisition, 
     or conversion of vessels as authorized by law, including 
     armor and armament thereof, plant equipment, appliances, and 
     machine tools and installation thereof in public and private 
     plants; reserve plant and Government and contractor-owned 
     equipment layaway; procurement of critical, long lead time 
     components and designs for vessels to be constructed or 
     converted in the future; and expansion of public and private 
     plants, including land necessary therefor, and such lands and 
     interests therein, may be acquired, and construction 
     prosecuted thereon prior to approval of title, as follows:
         Carrier Replacement Program, $1,559,977,000;
         Carrier Replacement Program (AP-CY), $874,658,000;
         Virginia Class Submarine, $3,346,370,000;
         Virginia Class Submarine (AP), $1,971,840,000;
         CVN Refueling Overhaul, $637,588,000;
         CVN Refueling Overhauls (AP), $14,951,000;
         DDG-091000 Program, $433,404,000;
         DDG-0951 Destroyer, $3,012,904,000;
         Littoral Combat Ship, $1,347,411,000;
         LPD-0917, $550,000,000;
         Afloat Forward Staging Base, $635,000,000;
         LHA Replacement (AP-CY), $277,543,000;
         TAO Fleet Oiler, $674,190,000;
         Moored Training Ship (AP), $138,200,000;
         Ship to Shore Connector, $255,630,000;
         Service Craft, $30,014,000;
         YP Craft Maintenance ROH/SLEP, $21,838,000;
         LCAC Service Life Extension Program, $80,738,000; and
         For outfitting, post delivery, conversions, and first 
     destination transportation, $601,008,000.
         Completion of Prior Year Shipbuilding Programs, 
     $389,305,000.
         In all: $16,852,569,000, to remain available for 
     obligation until September 30, 2020, of which $389,305,000 
     shall remain available until September 30, 2016, to fund 
     completion of prior year shipbuilding programs: Provided, 
     That amounts made available for prior year shipbuilding 
     programs may be transferred to and merged with appropriations 
     made available for such purposes in prior Acts: Provided 
     further, That additional obligations may be incurred after 
     September 30, 2020, for engineering services, tests, 
     evaluations, and other such budgeted work that must be 
     performed in the final stage of ship construction: Provided 
     further, That none of the funds provided under this heading 
     for the construction or conversion of any naval vessel to be 
     constructed in shipyards in the United States shall be 
     expended in foreign facilities for the construction of major 
     components of such vessel: Provided further, That none of the 
     funds provided under this heading shall be used for the 
     construction of any naval vessel in foreign shipyards.

                        Other Procurement, Navy

         For procurement, production, and modernization of support 
     equipment and materials not otherwise provided for, Navy 
     ordnance (except ordnance for new aircraft, new ships, and 
     ships authorized for conversion); the purchase of passenger 
     motor vehicles for replacement only; expansion of public and 
     private plants, including the land necessary therefor, and 
     such lands and interests therein, may be acquired, and 
     construction prosecuted thereon prior to approval of title; 
     and

[[Page 9197]]

     procurement and installation of equipment, appliances, and 
     machine tools in public and private plants; reserve plant and 
     Government and contractor-owned equipment layaway, 
     $6,696,715,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2018.

                       Procurement, Marine Corps

         For expenses necessary for the procurement, manufacture, 
     and modification of missiles, armament, military equipment, 
     spare parts, and accessories therefor; plant equipment, 
     appliances, and machine tools, and installation thereof in 
     public and private plants; reserve plant and Government and 
     contractor-owned equipment layaway; vehicles for the Marine 
     Corps, including the purchase of passenger motor vehicles for 
     replacement only; and expansion of public and private plants, 
     including land necessary therefor, and such lands and 
     interests therein, may be acquired, and construction 
     prosecuted thereon prior to approval of title, $973,084,000, 
     to remain available for obligation until September 30, 2018.

                    Aircraft Procurement, Air Force

         For construction, procurement, and modification of 
     aircraft and equipment, including armor and armament, 
     specialized ground handling equipment, and training devices, 
     spare parts, and accessories therefor; specialized equipment; 
     expansion of public and private plants, Government-owned 
     equipment and installation thereof in such plants, erection 
     of structures, and acquisition of land, for the foregoing 
     purposes, and such lands and interests therein, may be 
     acquired, and construction prosecuted thereon prior to 
     approval of title; reserve plant and Government and 
     contractor-owned equipment layaway; and other expenses 
     necessary for the foregoing purposes including rents and 
     transportation of things, $14,224,475,000, to remain 
     available for obligation until September 30, 2018: Provided, 
     That of the funds provided under this heading for F-35A Joint 
     Strike Fighter airframes and contractor furnished equipment, 
     no more than the amount necessary to fully fund procurement 
     of 36 airframes and associated contractor furnished equipment 
     may be obligated until the Secretary of Defense certifies to 
     the congressional defense committees that the Department of 
     Defense has accepted Autonomic Logistics Information System 
     equipment that meets requirements to support a declaration of 
     Air Force initial operating capability for the Joint Strike 
     Fighter.

                     Missile Procurement, Air Force

         For construction, procurement, and modification of 
     missiles, rockets, and related equipment, including spare 
     parts and accessories therefor; ground handling equipment, 
     and training devices; expansion of public and private plants, 
     Government-owned equipment and installation thereof in such 
     plants, erection of structures, and acquisition of land, for 
     the foregoing purposes, and such lands and interests therein, 
     may be acquired, and construction prosecuted thereon prior to 
     approval of title; reserve plant and Government and 
     contractor-owned equipment layaway; and other expenses 
     necessary for the foregoing purposes including rents and 
     transportation of things, $2,334,165,000, to remain available 
     for obligation until September 30, 2018.

                      Space Procurement, Air Force

         For construction, procurement, production, and 
     modification of spacecraft, rockets, and related equipment, 
     including spare parts and accessories therefor; ground 
     handling equipment, and training devices; expansion of public 
     and private plants, Government-owned equipment and 
     installation thereof in such plants, erection of structures, 
     and acquisition of land, for the foregoing purposes, and such 
     lands and interests therein, may be acquired, and 
     construction prosecuted thereon prior to approval of title; 
     reserve plant and Government and contractor-owned equipment 
     layaway; and other expenses necessary for the foregoing 
     purposes including rents and transportation of things, 
     $1,935,034,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2018.

                  Procurement of Ammunition, Air Force

         For construction, procurement, production, and 
     modification of ammunition, and accessories therefor; 
     specialized equipment and training devices; expansion of 
     public and private plants, including ammunition facilities, 
     authorized by section 2854 of title 10, United States Code, 
     and the land necessary therefor, for the foregoing purposes, 
     and such lands and interests therein, may be acquired, and 
     construction prosecuted thereon prior to approval of title; 
     and procurement and installation of equipment, appliances, 
     and machine tools in public and private plants; reserve plant 
     and Government and contractor-owned equipment layaway; and 
     other expenses necessary for the foregoing purposes, 
     $253,496,000, to remain available for obligation until 
     September 30, 2018.

                      Other Procurement, Air Force

         For procurement and modification of equipment (including 
     ground guidance and electronic control equipment, and ground 
     electronic and communication equipment), and supplies, 
     materials, and spare parts therefor, not otherwise provided 
     for; the purchase of passenger motor vehicles for replacement 
     only; lease of passenger motor vehicles; and expansion of 
     public and private plants, Government-owned equipment and 
     installation thereof in such plants, erection of structures, 
     and acquisition of land, for the foregoing purposes, and such 
     lands and interests therein, may be acquired, and 
     construction prosecuted thereon, prior to approval of title; 
     reserve plant and Government and
     contractor-owned equipment layaway, $15,098,950,000, to 
     remain available for obligation until September 30, 2018.

                              {time}  1830


                     Amendment Offered by Mr. Latta

  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 30, line 17, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $35,000,000)''.
       Page 33, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $49,000,000)''.

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the 
gentleman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. A point of order is reserved.
  Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman from Ohio and a 
Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio.
  Mr. LATTA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer an amendment, and I 
will later withdraw that amendment.
  The amendment I am offering today is a simple, commonsense amendment 
that fulfills a critical need for our Air National Guard, who stand 
watch while performing the 24/7 Aerospace Control Alert mission as 
diligently today as they have after the attacks on 9/11. This mission 
is carried out by several Guard units across the country, including the 
180th Fighter Wing in Toledo, Ohio, whom I have the great honor to 
represent, and by the D.C. Air National Guard, who are less than 15 
miles away from this Capitol. These servicemen and -women also serve in 
combat theater operations overseas when they are called upon and play a 
vital role in fighting foreign threats.
  This amendment would provide funding for an additional ARC-210 or 
equivalent radio in the Air National Guard's F-16s. These radios have a 
capability for secure line-of-sight and beyond line-of-sight 
communication, providing the ability to securely communicate with 
ground forces and command and control. However, one radio in the 
aircraft does not allow for the simultaneous contact with them.
  Currently, Air National Guard F-16s only have one ARC-210 radio that 
works on an ultrahigh frequency band, and it is this band that most 
command and control and air traffic control agencies use. An additional 
second radio will simultaneously allow Air National Guard F-16s to 
communicate with command and control agencies and coalition troops on 
the ground in places like Iraq and Afghanistan and dense threat 
environments.
  Members of the Air National Guard, along with fulfilling their duties 
of protecting our borders against those who wish to do us harm, also 
deploy with our Active Duty military, side by side, on the front lines 
in overseas conflicts. In fact, the request to have these additional 
radios comes from the combat commanders in such theaters around the 
world. So not only is this needed at home, but also abroad. The Air 
National Guard designates the need to have this capability as 
``critical.''
  My offset for this amendment is the Defense Rapid Innovation program, 
a program intended to take off-the-shelf technology and put it in the 
hands of the warfighter as soon as possible. My amendment would do just 
that. It takes low-cost existing technology and puts it to work for our 
warfighters today.
  As I said, I am prepared to withdraw the amendment, but I want to say 
I want to commend the gentleman from New Jersey and his committee staff 
and all the members of the committee for their hard work on this 
legislation.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to speak on the 
gentleman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.

[[Page 9198]]


  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to thank the gentleman from 
Ohio for his strong support of national defense, his incredible 
dedication to the National Guard, and his great service to the State of 
Ohio.
  His amendment, while it will be withdrawn, as he said, is intended to 
provide radio equipment for the Air National Guard F-16s but was only 
recently brought to our committee's attention. Should the Air Guard 
choose to purchase the ARC-210 radios with NGREA funding, which the 
committee has provided quite a lot of money for, the committee would 
support their decision.
  We are sensitive to the need of the Air Guard, yet the committee 
needs to do its due diligence. Ranking Member Visclosky and I look 
forward to working with you and your staff on this important issue, as 
we have already been doing, and appreciate your indulgence and 
willingness to withdraw the amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LATTA. I thank the gentleman for his willingness and especially 
for his dedication and support for our Air National Guard.
  Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman 
from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.


                  Amendment Offered by Mr. Bridenstine

  Mr. BRIDENSTINE. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 30, line 17, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $25,000,000)''.
       Page 33, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $25,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Oklahoma and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.
  Mr. BRIDENSTINE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished chairman of 
the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee for bringing this bill to the 
floor.
  The Bridenstine-Rogers-Turner-Poe amendment is not a reflection of 
concern with what is a good bill under the circumstances. The 
Bridenstine-Rogers-Turner-Poe amendment would appropriate $25 million 
to fund military responses to Russia's continuing violation of the 1987 
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the INF Treaty. This is the 
exact same amount that the House Armed Services Committee, the HASC, 
authorized recently in a bipartisan and noncontroversial provision in 
H.R. 1735, which passed the House Armed Services Committee on a 60-2 
vote.
  Senior DOD officials, from the Secretary of Defense to lesser Senate-
confirmed officials, have testified that the United States is 
considering a range of military options to respond to Russia's 
violation of the INF Treaty. DOD defines these as countervailing and 
counterforce options. What do these include?
  Number one, extending the range of the Army's current Army Tactical 
Missile System, ATacMS; land-basing Tomahawk or otherwise modifying 
similar capabilities; and also other capabilities per classified DOD 
reporting.
  The emphasis should be on modifying current systems as opposed to 
developing brand-new capabilities, which would take longer and cost far 
more.
  This amendment is imperative to ensuring that another year isn't 
allowed to go by before Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, is made to 
understand that he cannot profit by his violation of the INF Treaty.
  As The New York Times reported on June 5, following the submission of 
the most recent State Department annual report on arms control 
compliance: ``American officials have made no discernible headway in 
persuading the Russians to acknowledge the compliance problem, let 
alone resolve it. . . . In December, the Pentagon told Congress that it 
had developed a range of military options to pressure Russia to remedy 
the violation or neutralize any advantages it might gain if diplomatic 
efforts fail. Brian P. McKeon, a senior Pentagon official, told 
Congress that . . . if a diplomatic solution was not found, `This 
violation will not go unanswered.'''
  Mr. Chairman, I urge the support of all Members for the Bridenstine-
Rogers-Turner-Poe amendment.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Indiana is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the gentleman's concern 
relative to Russia and his desire to make sure that they do abide by 
the existing treaty.
  Certainly, I would acknowledge that they have invaded the country of 
Ukraine. They control a quarter of that country's industrial 
production, and as the gentleman has indicated, are very concerned 
about their violation potentially of the treaty that exists.
  My concern is that the gentleman's amendment is premature. He is 
absolutely correct that the authorizing committee in this body did pass 
legislation that you are trying to address with your amendment. The 
other body has not yet acted.
  Additionally, I would point out--and again, I think the gentleman is 
absolutely correct--that DOD is considering a range of options. You 
have enumerated at least three of them, I think, very correctly.
  Again, I think it is premature, given the fact that we are still, as 
a country, considering what options should be utilized to deal with 
this very serious question that the gentleman raises. Given the fact 
that we don't have direct authorization and we are considering options, 
while I agree with the intent, I would have to object to the timing of 
the gentleman's amendment.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRIDENSTINE. Mr. Chair, I would just argue that, while it is true 
that the other body has not acted on this yet, it is also true that 
this body has already acted in the Defense Authorization bill. It came 
through committee, and certainly it had overwhelming support in 
committee and overwhelming support on the floor of the House.
  I think that the will of this body ought to be done by all of my 
colleagues supporting this very important amendment and to make sure 
that Russia understands that they cannot go unchecked when they violate 
a treaty of this magnitude.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chair, I will simply conclude by again expressing 
sympathy for the aim of the gentleman but pointing out that to 
appropriate money, we need authority. We do not yet have that, given 
the absence of action by the Senate and signature of the authorization 
into law by the President. I would ask my colleagues to oppose the 
gentleman's amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Mooney of West Virginia). The question is on 
the amendment offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Bridenstine).
  The amendment was rejected.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows.

                       Procurement, Defense-Wide

       For expenses of activities and agencies of the Department 
     of Defense (other than the military departments) necessary 
     for procurement, production, and modification of equipment, 
     supplies, materials, and spare parts therefor, not otherwise 
     provided for; the purchase of passenger motor vehicles for 
     replacement only; expansion of public and private plants, 
     equipment, and installation thereof in such plants, erection 
     of structures, and acquisition of land for the foregoing 
     purposes, and such lands and interests therein, may be 
     acquired, and construction prosecuted thereon prior to 
     approval of title; reserve plant and Government and 
     contractor-owned equipment layaway, $5,143,095,000, to remain 
     available for obligation until September 30, 2018.


                  Amendment Offered by Ms. Jackson Lee

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 31, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $10,000,000)''.

[[Page 9199]]

       Page 36, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $10,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $10,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentlewoman 
from Texas and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the staff, 
first, for working with Members and getting Members in order to be able 
to present their amendments; and then I want to thank the chairman and 
the ranking member for their understanding of this amendment and, 
again, make the point that this amendment that I am offering at this 
time I have been able to work on with the appropriators over the years.
  I am a breast cancer survivor, and as I, myself, was going through 
that period, I met women who were experiencing triple negative, which 
is a very deadly aspect of breast cancer.
  My amendment increases funding for Defense Health Program's research 
and development by $10 million, and these funds will address the 
question of breast cancer in the United States military.
  Just the fact, to take note of the point, that more than 800 women 
have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the Army Times, 
874 military women were diagnosed with breast cancer just between 2000 
and 2001.
  My amendment will add additional research dealing with this question. 
And the good news is that, when the military research component works 
on this, there is a great possibility of moving forward.
  Breast cancer strikes relatively young military women at an alarming 
rate, but male servicemembers, veterans, and their dependents are at 
risk as well.
  ```Military people in general, and in some cases very specifically, 
are at a significantly greater risk for contracting breast cancer,' 
says Dr. Richard Clapp, a top cancer expert at Boston University. 
Clapp, who works for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on 
military breast cancer issues, says life in the military can mean 
exposure to a witch's brew of risk factors directly linked to greater 
chances of getting breast cancer.''
  Just a moment about the triple-negative breast cancer, when I saw 
firsthand a very wonderful professional in my community go very 
quickly, first at the diagnosis and then the short-term survival that 
she experienced.
  It is a term used to describe breast cancer whose cells do not have 
estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors and do not have an excess 
of the HER2 protein on their cell membrane of tumor cells.
  So what does that mean? TNBC accounts for between 13 and 25 percent 
of all breast cancer in the United States. It is a higher grade, onset 
is younger, is more aggressive, and is likely to metastasize.
  Currently, 70 percent of women with metastatic triple-negative breast 
cancer do not live more than 5 years after being diagnosed, and it 
impacts various ethnicities and ethnic groups in a far different way.

                              {time}  1845

  We find that African American women are more likely to be diagnosed 
with large tumors, but it impacts women of all backgrounds, racial 
backgrounds as well.
  So I ask my colleagues to consider this amendment that I have had the 
privilege of offering in years past. Might they also take note of the 
fact that the amendment would not change the overall level of budget 
authority, and it would lower the overall level of outlays.
  I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee amendment.
  I add this article into the Record, ``A New Drug for Triple Negative 
Breast Cancers Seems Promising,'' dated June 5, 2015.
  Again, the research that the United States military can do under the 
research development test and evaluation is powerful. There are many 
women and men in the military and many women throughout the Nation and 
around the world who would benefit greatly from the additional focus on 
this very deadly disease, deadly form of breast cancer.
  Mr. Chair, I want to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member 
Visclosky for shepherding this legislation to the floor and for their 
devotion to the men and women of the Armed Forces who risk their lives 
to keep our nation safe.
  Mr. Chair, thank you for the opportunity to explain my amendment, 
which is identical to an amendment that I offered and was adopted in 
last year's Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 4870).
  My amendment increases funding for the Defense Health Program's 
research and development by $10 million. These funds will address the 
question of breast cancer in the United States military.
  Women in the military have had to fight battles against Triple 
Negative Breast cancer and far too many of them are losing the battle.
  My amendment is designed to advance the study of triple negative 
breast cancer which is an aggressive and deadly type of breast cancer.
  Currently, 70% of women with metastatic triple negative breast cancer 
do not live more than five years after being diagnosed. TNBC accounts 
for between 13% and 25% of all breast cancer in the United States.
  It is essential to support research to identify multifaceted targeted 
treatments for this type of breast cancer.
  TNBC is an extremely deadly form of breast cancer.
  Unlike traditional forms of breast cancer there are no targeted 
treatments for TNBC.
  Additional research is necessary to find the molecular cause for TNBC 
in order to develop an effective treatment regime.
  It is only in the last few years that professionals studying breast 
cancer have concluded that breast cancer is not one disease, but many 
different forms of cancer all originating in the breast.
  Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a term used to describe 
breast cancers whose cells do not have estrogen receptors and 
progesterone receptors, and do not have an excess of the HER2 protein 
on their cell membrane of tumor cells
  Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) cells: TNBC accounts for between 
13% and 25% of all breast cancer in the United States; usually of a 
higher grade and size; onset at a younger age; are more aggressive; and 
are more likely to metastasize.
  Currently, 70% of women with metastatic triple negative breast cancer 
do not live more than five years after being diagnosed.
  African American women are 3 times more likely to develop triple-
negative breast cancer than White women.
  African-American women have prevalence TNBC of 26% vs. 16% in non-
African Americans women.
  The survival rate for breast cancer has increased to 90% for White 
women but only 78% for African American Women.
  African-American women are more likely to be diagnosed with larger 
tumors and more advanced stages of breast cancer.
  Currently no targeted treatment for TNBC exists.
  Breast cancers with specific, targeted treatment methods, such as 
hormone and gene based strains, have higher survival rates than the 
triple negative subtype, highlighting the need for a targeted 
treatment.
  There continues to be a need for research funding for biomarker 
selection, drug discovery, and clinical trial designs that will lead to 
the early detection of TNBC and to the development of multiple targeted 
therapies to treat this awful disease.
  Depending on its stage of diagnosis, triple negative breast cancer 
can be extremely aggressive and more likely to recur and metastasize 
than other subtypes of breast cancer.
  It typically is responsive to chemotherapy, although it can be more 
difficult to treat because it is unresponsive to the most effective 
receptor targeted treatments.
  There is no question that researchers are increasingly recognizing 
the importance of TNBC as an entity and focusing their efforts on 
several key areas.
  On June 5, 2015, it was reported that ``A New Drug For Triple 
Negative Breast Cancer Seems Promising--Enzalutamide.''
  Research on effective treatment options for triple negative breast 
cancer is critically need to improve the survival rates of women who 
are diagnosed with the disease.
  We must also improve upon tests that can detect triple negative 
breast cancer while it is in its early stages, which could increase 
survival rates.
  I urge my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee Amendment.

[[Page 9200]]



                   [From The Inquisitr, June 7, 2015]

     A New Drug For Triple Negative Breast Cancer Seems Promising--
                              Enzalutamide

       Breast cancer. The two words strike fear in nearly 
     everyone's heart, as, by far, it is the most common cancer 
     that women can get. In fact, one-out-of-eight women will be 
     diagnosed at some point in their lives. Early detection 
     remains the most important tool we have against fighting 
     breast cancer, but it's only one tool. Not at all tests 
     reliably show all breast cancers in their early stages, and 
     many breast cancers are not detected until they begin to 
     metastasize, or spread to remote locations in the body, which 
     makes them incurable. They can be treated, but it is 
     medically deemed impossible to cure at that point in time, 
     with various metastatic lesions having to be handled as they 
     appear--which means more chemo, more radiation, more lost 
     quality of life.
       What many people don't realize is that there are actually 
     several kinds of breast cancer--not all are the same or are 
     treated the same. Many breast cancers have hormone receptors 
     which are considered easier to treat the other types, because 
     when biological therapy denies the tumor of the particular 
     hormone that feeds it, the tumor dies.
       Triple-negative breast cancer, however, does not respond to 
     hormone or biological therapies--that's because the tumor 
     does not have those receptors. It also is a particularly 
     aggressive cancer that usually strikes women in their 
     childbearing years and moves quickly to the brain and bones. 
     Lumpectomies, mastectomies, chemotherapy, and radiation have 
     been the medical standard, but often with dismal results--the 
     five year prognosis for triple-negative breast cancer is not 
     good.
       However, a new drug on the market seems promising in the 
     fight against this disease that takes far too many young 
     women. A drug used to treat prostate cancer in men seems 
     promising--called Enzalutamide--shows promise in a subset of 
     women with advanced triple-negative breast cancer. For women 
     whose tumors express the androgen receptor (approximately 40 
     percent) the drug shrank or stopped tumor activity.
       Tiffany Traina, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan 
     Kettering Cancer Center in New York, who specializes in 
     breast cancer, spoke about the trial which included 118 
     women, 47 percent of which had triple-negative breast cancer 
     with androgen receptors.
       ``Enzalutamide is an oral therapy and extremely well 
     tolerated. We are seeing impressive improvements in 
     progression-free survival [PFS] and in the clinical benefit 
     rate. AR by immunohistochemistry is not perfect in predicting 
     who is going to respond. This is not the whole story. We 
     found that even those with really low AR expression level 
     have had great responses [on trial. Combining AR expression 
     with the gene signature has allowed us to enrich for the 
     population that appears to truly benefit from enzalutamide. 
     This is the most exciting data we have had in triple-negative 
     breast cancer and certainly supports moving this therapy 
     forward in development.''

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. I ask my colleagues to support the Jackson Lee 
amendment. Again, I thank the staff, the chairman, and the ranking 
member for their commitment to the betterment of the lives of our young 
men and women in the United States military.
  Mr. Chairman, with that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                    Defense Production Act Purchases

       For activities by the Department of Defense pursuant to 
     sections 108, 301, 302, and 303 of the Defense Production Act 
     of 1950 (50 U.S.C. App. 2078, 2091, 2092, and 2093), 
     $76,680,000, to remain available until expended.

                                TITLE IV

               RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION

            Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army

       For expenses necessary for basic and applied scientific 
     research, development, test and evaluation, including 
     maintenance, rehabilitation, lease, and operation of 
     facilities and equipment, $7,372,047,000, to remain available 
     for obligation until September 30, 2017.

            Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy

       For expenses necessary for basic and applied scientific 
     research, development, test and evaluation, including 
     maintenance, rehabilitation, lease, and operation of 
     facilities and equipment, $17,237,724,000, to remain 
     available for obligation until September 30, 2017: Provided, 
     That funds appropriated in this paragraph which are available 
     for the V-22 may be used to meet unique operational 
     requirements of the Special Operations Forces.

         Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force

       For expenses necessary for basic and applied scientific 
     research, development, test and evaluation, including 
     maintenance, rehabilitation, lease, and operation of 
     facilities and equipment, $23,163,152,000, to remain 
     available for obligation until September 30, 2017.

        Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For expenses of activities and agencies of the Department 
     of Defense (other than the military departments), necessary 
     for basic and applied scientific research, development, test 
     and evaluation; advanced research projects as may be 
     designated and determined by the Secretary of Defense, 
     pursuant to law; maintenance, rehabilitation, lease, and 
     operation of facilities and equipment, $18,207,171,000, to 
     remain available for obligation until September 30, 2017: 
     Provided, That of the funds made available in this paragraph, 
     $250,000,000 for the Defense Rapid Innovation Program shall 
     only be available for expenses, not otherwise provided for, 
     to include program management and oversight, to conduct 
     research, development, test and evaluation to include proof 
     of concept demonstration; engineering, testing, and 
     validation; and transition to full-scale production: Provided 
     further, That the Secretary of Defense may transfer funds 
     provided herein for the Defense Rapid Innovation Program to 
     appropriations for research, development, test and evaluation 
     to accomplish the purpose provided herein: Provided further, 
     That this transfer authority is in addition to any other 
     transfer authority available to the Department of Defense: 
     Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense shall, not 
     fewer than 30 days prior to making transfers from this 
     appropriation, notify the congressional defense committees in 
     writing of the details of any such transfer.


     Amendment Offered by Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico

  Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. I have an amendment at the 
desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 33, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $3,543,000) (increased by $3,543,000 )''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentlewoman 
from New Mexico and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New Mexico.
  Ms. MICHELE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico. Mr. Chair, at a time when 
the United States is facing constantly evolving global threats from a 
wide range of enemies, our military urgently needs the technology to 
monitor and respond to these threats.
  Our military does not have the time to wait decades or even years for 
the development and launch of surveillance or communications 
satellites.
  Operationally Responsive Space, or ORS, allows the U.S. to quickly 
respond to the emerging and often unanticipated needs of the 
warfighter. The program rapidly develops new capabilities, giving our 
military the ability to launch field-ready satellites extremely 
quickly.
  These cost-effective satellites provide transformational advantages 
on the battlefield. They provide surveillance, tactical communications, 
countercommunications, space protection, space situational awareness, 
and weather data from around the world to assist our military in 
combating our enemies.
  You don't have to take my word for it. Air Force leadership has 
consistently praised the program as an effective national security 
tool. General Schwartz, the former Chief of Staff of the Air Force, 
said: ``ORS is exactly what we need. Innovation and greater efficiency 
as we contend with ongoing fiscal constraints and changing space 
posture.''
  General Welch, current Chief of Staff of the Air Force, recently said 
that we ``have to look at space now as a warfighting domain,'' and he 
went on to say that doing so requires us to ``look at different ways of 
building, maintaining, and improving the assets we currently have in 
space and the capabilities they provide in new and different ways than 
the very functionally developed, large program, large investment over 
long periods of time that have dominated the space architecture up 
until this point.''
  ORS plays a critical role beyond immediate response to our needs on 
the battlefield.

[[Page 9201]]

  The U.S. also needs to have the ability to relaunch crucial military 
communication and even weather satellites that are lost to 
countermeasures by other countries. In 2007, China used a ground-based 
missile to destroy a satellite orbiting more than 500 miles in space, 
demonstrating their capacity to target our national security satellites 
and space defense systems.
  The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission's 2014 report 
to Congress notes that ``China, in 2014, continued to pursue a broad 
counterspace program to challenge U.S. information superiority in a 
conflict and disrupt or destroy U.S. satellites if necessary . . . 
China likely will be able to hold at risk U.S. national security 
satellites in every orbital regime in the next 5 to 10 years.''
  Currently, Russia is developing a sea-based missile and space defense 
system capable of destroying satellites. As other countries modernize 
their military, the threat level to our communications, navigation, and 
guided munitions satellites intensifies.
  I want to thank the chairman and ranking member for including some 
funding for ORS in this year's bills, but I do not believe that it is 
fully adequate to fund this vital program. Without sufficient funds, 
ORS cannot produce the space systems that give our military an 
advantage on the battlefield. It is not in our best interest to solely 
focus on building satellites that take decades to develop, build, and 
launch, and cost billions of dollars.
  While I believe that ORS is integral to maintaining our advantage in 
space and bringing much-needed capabilities to our warfighters, I 
understand the committee is not at this time able to reallocate 
additional funds to this very important program. I hope to continue to 
work with the committee as the appropriations process moves forward.
  Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New Mexico?
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The amendment is withdrawn.


                   Amendment Offered by Mr. Pascrell

  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 33, line 3, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $25,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $25,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $25,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from New Jersey and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer this amendment with 
Congressman Rooney, my co-chair of the Congressional Brain Injury Task 
Force.
  Traumatic brain injury continues to be the signature injury among our 
Nation's servicemembers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 
300,000 troops have been diagnosed with mild TBI since 2000. This 
number continues to increase as identification and detection methods 
become more accurate. Despite these staggering figures, there was a 
decrease of 20 percent from last year's funding level. Our amendment 
would restore the same funding level to the TBI program.
  The program supports the DOD's Psychological Health and TBI Center of 
Excellence in its efforts to educate servicemembers and their families, 
enhance clinical and management approaches, and facilitate other vital 
services to best serve the needs of our servicemembers impacted by TBI 
and psychological health problems.
  In recent years, the DOD has made significant strides in improving 
both in-theater and post-incident assessment and diagnosis, but still 
more needs to be done in evaluating troops' ability to return to duty. 
As it is, we are not living up to our responsibility in caring for 
servicemembers who have already been diagnosed with TBI. I urge my 
colleagues to support this bipartisan amendment.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I seek time in opposition, although 
I do not oppose the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from New Jersey is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to use this time to heap 
compliments upon my colleague from New Jersey who heads up the 
Congressional Brain Injury Task Force and has been providing that 
leadership and support, and it is certainly bipartisan.
  Just for the record, our committee has been very active in supporting 
this type of work and research. And for the record, our bill provides 
$155 million, which includes a plus up of $100 million above the 
request level of $55 million for traumatic brain injury and 
psychological health research.
  In addition, our bill provides $676 million in operation and 
maintenance funding within the Defense Health Program to care for 
servicemembers affected by traumatic brain injuries and psychological 
maladies.
  There has been an issue about the slow spend down of some of the 
money. Of course, if we are here on the floor advocating, as we should, 
for such an important program, we need to ensure that the bureaucracy 
gets the money spent. I am sure my colleague from New Jersey would 
agree that if we are going to put money on the table, let's make sure 
they spend it rapidly to address this ever-growing problem which 
affects so many people who come off the battlefield. I commend the 
gentleman and support his amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                Operational Test and Evaluation, Defense

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary for the 
     independent activities of the Director, Operational Test and 
     Evaluation, in the direction and supervision of operational 
     test and evaluation, including initial operational test and 
     evaluation which is conducted prior to, and in support of, 
     production decisions; joint operational testing and 
     evaluation; and administrative expenses in connection 
     therewith, $170,558,000, to remain available for obligation 
     until September 30, 2017.

                                TITLE V

                     REVOLVING AND MANAGEMENT FUNDS

                     Defense Working Capital Funds

       For the Defense Working Capital Funds, $1,634,568,000.

                     National Defense Sealift Fund

       For National Defense Sealift Fund programs, projects, and 
     activities, and for expenses of the National Defense Reserve 
     Fleet, as established by section 11 of the Merchant Ship 
     Sales Act of 1946 (50 U.S.C. App. 1744), and for the 
     necessary expenses to maintain and preserve a U.S.-flag 
     merchant fleet to serve the national security needs of the 
     United States, $474,164,000, to remain available until 
     expended: Provided, That none of the funds provided in this 
     paragraph shall be used to award a new contract that provides 
     for the acquisition of any of the following major components 
     unless such components are manufactured in the United States: 
     auxiliary equipment, including pumps, for all shipboard 
     services; propulsion system components (engines, reduction 
     gears, and propellers); shipboard cranes; and spreaders for 
     shipboard cranes: Provided further, That the exercise of an 
     option in a contract awarded through the obligation of 
     previously appropriated funds shall not be considered to be 
     the award of a new contract: Provided further, That none of 
     the funds provided in this paragraph shall be used to award a 
     new contract for the construction, acquisition, or conversion 
     of vessels, including procurement of critical, long lead time 
     components and designs for vessels to be constructed or 
     converted in the future: Provided further, That the Secretary 
     of the military department responsible for such procurement 
     may waive the restrictions in the first proviso on a case-by-
     case basis by certifying in writing to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
     that adequate domestic supplies are not available to meet 
     Department of Defense requirements on a timely basis and that 
     such an acquisition must be made in order to acquire 
     capability for national security purposes.

[[Page 9202]]



                                TITLE VI

                  OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS

                         Defense Health Program

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, for medical and 
     health care programs of the Department of Defense as 
     authorized by law, $31,440,009,000; of which $29,489,521,000 
     shall be for operation and maintenance, of which not to 
     exceed one percent shall remain available for obligation 
     until September 30, 2017, and of which up to $13,972,542,000 
     may be available for contracts entered into under the TRICARE 
     program; of which $373,287,000, to remain available for 
     obligation until September 30, 2018, shall be for 
     procurement; and of which $1,577,201,000, to remain available 
     for obligation until September 30, 2017, shall be for 
     research, development, test and evaluation: Provided, That, 
     notwithstanding any other provision of law, of the amount 
     made available under this heading for research, development, 
     test and evaluation, not less than $8,000,000 shall be 
     available for HIV prevention educational activities 
     undertaken in connection with United States military 
     training, exercises, and humanitarian assistance activities 
     conducted primarily in African nations: Provided further, 
     That of the funds provided under this heading for research, 
     development, test and evaluation, not less than $597,100,000 
     shall be made available to the U.S. Army Medical Research and 
     Materiel Command to carry out the congressionally directed 
     medical research programs.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Aguilar

  Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 36, line 1, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.
       Page 36, line 9, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced 
     by $1,000,000) (increased by $1,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from California and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
  Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer this amendment that would 
set aside $1 million for studying a neglected segment of suicides 
within our Armed Forces. Our brave men and women in uniform risk their 
lives every day to keep us safe and free, yet they often don't get the 
care that they deserve.
  While attention has been given to the subject in the past, we have 
recently seen a need for research that deals with high suicide rates 
among our female servicemembers and veterans. This week, the Los 
Angeles Times reported on a recently released study which found female 
military veterans commit suicide at nearly six times the rate of other 
women.

                              {time}  1900

  This new government research released in the journal of Psychiatric 
Services went even further, reporting that female veterans between the 
ages of 18 and 29 are nearly twelve times more likely to commit suicide 
than nonmilitary women. We need to do better by the women who risk 
their lives to protect our Nation. We cannot sit idly by while our 
female servicemembers and veterans suffer in silence.
  My amendment would set aside $1 million to study the possible causes 
for this level of suicides among our women in uniform. Service-related 
causes like traumatic brain injuries and PTSD, in addition to 
nonservice related factors such as adverse childhood experiences, 
financial troubles, and other external stressors, must be investigated 
if we hope to seriously confront this travesty head on.
  In addition, according to the VA, the suicide gap between men and 
women is shrinking. Men typically have higher suicide rates than women. 
When military service is incorporated, the gap between the two shrinks 
significantly.
  This is a serious problem and one that we don't know enough about to 
confront. Until we understand why we are seeing this horrific trend, we 
cannot help the women who bravely serve.
  When we are faced with rising generations where female veterans are 
twelve times more likely than nonmilitary women to commit suicide, we 
need to take action. My amendment will conduct a study to understand 
how we got here, so we can move forward and take real action to address 
this crisis.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Aguilar).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

           Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction, Defense

       For expenses, not otherwise provided for, necessary for the 
     destruction of the United States stockpile of lethal chemical 
     agents and munitions in accordance with the provisions of 
     section 1412 of the Department of Defense Authorization Act, 
     1986 (50 U.S.C. 1521), and for the destruction of other 
     chemical warfare materials that are not in the chemical 
     weapon stockpile, $720,721,000, of which $139,098,000 shall 
     be for operation and maintenance, of which no less than 
     $50,743,000 shall be for the Chemical Stockpile Emergency 
     Preparedness Program, consisting of $21,289,000 for 
     activities on military installations and $29,454,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2017, to assist State 
     and local governments; $2,281,000 shall be for procurement, 
     to remain available until September 30, 2018, of which 
     $2,281,000 shall be for the Chemical Stockpile Emergency 
     Preparedness Program to assist State and local governments; 
     and $579,342,000, to remain available until September 30, 
     2017, shall be for research, development, test and 
     evaluation, of which $569,339,000 shall only be for the 
     Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program.

         Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For drug interdiction and counter-drug activities of the 
     Department of Defense, for transfer to appropriations 
     available to the Department of Defense for military personnel 
     of the reserve components serving under the provisions of 
     title 10 and title 32, United States Code; for operation and 
     maintenance; for procurement; and for research, development, 
     test and evaluation, $878,298,000, of which $616,811,000 
     shall be for counter-narcotics support; $113,589,000 shall be 
     for the drug demand reduction program; and $147,898,000 shall 
     be for the National Guard counter-drug program: Provided, 
     That the funds appropriated under this heading shall be 
     available for obligation for the same time period and for the 
     same purpose as the appropriation to which transferred: 
     Provided further, That upon a determination that all or part 
     of the funds transferred from this appropriation are not 
     necessary for the purposes provided herein, such amounts may 
     be transferred back to this appropriation: Provided further, 
     That the transfer authority provided under this heading is in 
     addition to any other transfer authority contained elsewhere 
     in this Act.

                    Office of the Inspector General

       For expenses and activities of the Office of the Inspector 
     General in carrying out the provisions of the Inspector 
     General Act of 1978, as amended, $316,159,000, of which 
     $314,059,000, shall be for operation and maintenance, of 
     which not to exceed $700,000 is available for emergencies and 
     extraordinary expenses to be expended on the approval or 
     authority of the Inspector General, and payments may be made 
     on the Inspector General's certificate of necessity for 
     confidential military purposes; and of which $2,100,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2017, shall be for 
     research, development, test and evaluation.

                               TITLE VII

                            RELATED AGENCIES

   Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System Fund

       For payment to the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement 
     and Disability System Fund, to maintain the proper funding 
     level for continuing the operation of the Central 
     Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, 
     $514,000,000.

               Intelligence Community Management Account

       For necessary expenses of the Intelligence Community 
     Management Account, $507,923,000.

                               TITLE VIII

                           GENERAL PROVISIONS

       Sec. 8001.  No part of any appropriation contained in this 
     Act shall be used for publicity or propaganda purposes not 
     authorized by the Congress.
       Sec. 8002.  During the current fiscal year, provisions of 
     law prohibiting the payment of compensation to, or employment 
     of, any person not a citizen of the United States shall not 
     apply to personnel of the Department of Defense: Provided, 
     That salary increases granted to direct and indirect hire 
     foreign national employees of the Department of Defense 
     funded by this Act shall not be at a rate in excess of the 
     percentage increase authorized by law for civilian employees 
     of the Department of Defense whose pay is computed under the 
     provisions of section 5332 of title 5, United States Code, or 
     at a rate in excess of the percentage increase provided by 
     the appropriate host nation to its own employees, whichever 
     is higher: Provided further, That this section shall not 
     apply to Department of Defense foreign service national 
     employees serving at United States diplomatic missions whose 
     pay is set by the Department of State under the Foreign 
     Service

[[Page 9203]]

     Act of 1980: Provided further, That the limitations of this 
     provision shall not apply to foreign national employees of 
     the Department of Defense in the Republic of Turkey.
       Sec. 8003.  No part of any appropriation contained in this 
     Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current 
     fiscal year, unless expressly so provided herein.
       Sec. 8004.  No more than 20 percent of the appropriations 
     in this Act which are limited for obligation during the 
     current fiscal year shall be obligated during the last 2 
     months of the fiscal year: Provided, That this section shall 
     not apply to obligations for support of active duty training 
     of reserve components or summer camp training of the Reserve 
     Officers' Training Corps.

                          (transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8005.  Upon determination by the Secretary of Defense 
     that such action is necessary in the national interest, he 
     may, with the approval of the Office of Management and 
     Budget, transfer not to exceed $4,500,000,000 of working 
     capital funds of the Department of Defense or funds made 
     available in this Act to the Department of Defense for 
     military functions (except military construction) between 
     such appropriations or funds or any subdivision thereof, to 
     be merged with and to be available for the same purposes, and 
     for the same time period, as the appropriation or fund to 
     which transferred: Provided, That such authority to transfer 
     may not be used unless for higher priority items, based on 
     unforeseen military requirements, than those for which 
     originally appropriated and in no case where the item for 
     which funds are requested has been denied by the Congress: 
     Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense shall notify 
     the Congress promptly of all transfers made pursuant to this 
     authority or any other authority in this Act: Provided 
     further, That no part of the funds in this Act shall be 
     available to prepare or present a request to the Committees 
     on Appropriations for reprogramming of funds, unless for 
     higher priority items, based on unforeseen military 
     requirements, than those for which originally appropriated 
     and in no case where the item for which reprogramming is 
     requested has been denied by the Congress: Provided further, 
     That a request for multiple reprogrammings of funds using 
     authority provided in this section shall be made prior to 
     June 30, 2016: Provided further, That transfers among 
     military personnel appropriations shall not be taken into 
     account for purposes of the limitation on the amount of funds 
     that may be transferred under this section.
       Sec. 8006. (a) With regard to the list of specific 
     programs, projects, and activities (and the dollar amounts 
     and adjustments to budget activities corresponding to such 
     programs, projects, and activities) contained in the tables 
     titled ``Explanation of Project Level Adjustments'' in the 
     explanatory statement regarding this Act, the obligation and 
     expenditure of amounts appropriated or otherwise made 
     available in this Act for those programs, projects, and 
     activities for which the amounts appropriated exceed the 
     amounts requested are hereby required by law to be carried 
     out in the manner provided by such tables to the same extent 
     as if the tables were included in the text of this Act.
       (b) Amounts specified in the referenced tables described in 
     subsection (a) shall not be treated as subdivisions of 
     appropriations for purposes of section 8005 of this Act: 
     Provided, That section 8005 shall apply when transfers of the 
     amounts described in subsection (a) occur between 
     appropriation accounts.
       Sec. 8007. (a) Not later than 60 days after enactment of 
     this Act, the Department of Defense shall submit a report to 
     the congressional defense committees to establish the 
     baseline for application of reprogramming and transfer 
     authorities for fiscal year 2016: Provided, That the report 
     shall include--
       (1) a table for each appropriation with a separate column 
     to display the President's budget request, adjustments made 
     by Congress, adjustments due to enacted rescissions, if 
     appropriate, and the fiscal year enacted level;
       (2) a delineation in the table for each appropriation both 
     by budget activity and program, project, and activity as 
     detailed in the Budget Appendix; and
       (3) an identification of items of special congressional 
     interest.
       (b) Notwithstanding section 8005 of this Act, none of the 
     funds provided in this Act shall be available for 
     reprogramming or transfer until the report identified in 
     subsection (a) is submitted to the congressional defense 
     committees, unless the Secretary of Defense certifies in 
     writing to the congressional defense committees that such 
     reprogramming or transfer is necessary as an emergency 
     requirement.

                          (transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8008.  During the current fiscal year, cash balances 
     in working capital funds of the Department of Defense 
     established pursuant to section 2208 of title 10, United 
     States Code, may be maintained in only such amounts as are 
     necessary at any time for cash disbursements to be made from 
     such funds: Provided, That transfers may be made between such 
     funds: Provided further, That transfers may be made between 
     working capital funds and the ``Foreign Currency 
     Fluctuations, Defense'' appropriation and the ``Operation and 
     Maintenance'' appropriation accounts in such amounts as may 
     be determined by the Secretary of Defense, with the approval 
     of the Office of Management and Budget, except that such 
     transfers may not be made unless the Secretary of Defense has 
     notified the Congress of the proposed transfer: Provided 
     further, that except in amounts equal to the amounts 
     appropriated to working capital funds in this Act, no 
     obligations may be made against a working capital fund to 
     procure or increase the value of war reserve material 
     inventory, unless the Secretary of Defense has notified the 
     Congress prior to any such obligation.
       Sec. 8009.  Funds appropriated by this Act may not be used 
     to initiate a special access program without prior 
     notification 30 calendar days in advance to the congressional 
     defense committees.
       Sec. 8010.  None of the funds provided in this Act shall be 
     available to initiate: (1) a multiyear contract that employs 
     economic order quantity procurement in excess of $20,000,000 
     in any one year of the contract or that includes an unfunded 
     contingent liability in excess of $20,000,000; or (2) a 
     contract for advance procurement leading to a multiyear 
     contract that employs economic order quantity procurement in 
     excess of $20,000,000 in any one year, unless the 
     congressional defense committees have been notified at least 
     30 days in advance of the proposed contract award: Provided, 
     That no part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall 
     be available to initiate a multiyear contract for which the 
     economic order quantity advance procurement is not funded at 
     least to the limits of the Government's liability: Provided 
     further, That no part of any appropriation contained in this 
     Act shall be available to initiate multiyear procurement 
     contracts for any systems or component thereof if the value 
     of the multiyear contract would exceed $500,000,000 unless 
     specifically provided in this Act: Provided further, That no 
     multiyear procurement contract can be terminated without 30-
     day prior notification to the congressional defense 
     committees: Provided further, That the execution of multiyear 
     authority shall require the use of a present value analysis 
     to determine lowest cost compared to an annual procurement: 
     Provided further, That none of the funds provided in this Act 
     may be used for a multiyear contract executed after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act unless in the case of any such 
     contract--
       (1) the Secretary of Defense has submitted to Congress a 
     budget request for full funding of units to be procured 
     through the contract and, in the case of a contract for 
     procurement of aircraft, that includes, for any aircraft unit 
     to be procured through the contract for which procurement 
     funds are requested in that budget request for production 
     beyond advance procurement activities in the fiscal year 
     covered by the budget, full funding of procurement of such 
     unit in that fiscal year;
       (2) cancellation provisions in the contract do not include 
     consideration of recurring manufacturing costs of the 
     contractor associated with the production of unfunded units 
     to be delivered under the contract;
       (3) the contract provides that payments to the contractor 
     under the contract shall not be made in advance of incurred 
     costs on funded units; and
       (4) the contract does not provide for a price adjustment 
     based on a failure to award a follow-on contract.
       Sec. 8011.  Within the funds appropriated for the operation 
     and maintenance of the Armed Forces, funds are hereby 
     appropriated pursuant to section 401 of title 10, United 
     States Code, for humanitarian and civic assistance costs 
     under chapter 20 of title 10, United States Code. Such funds 
     may also be obligated for humanitarian and civic assistance 
     costs incidental to authorized operations and pursuant to 
     authority granted in section 401 of chapter 20 of title 10, 
     United States Code, and these obligations shall be reported 
     as required by section 401(d) of title 10, United States 
     Code: Provided, That funds available for operation and 
     maintenance shall be available for providing humanitarian and 
     similar assistance by using Civic Action Teams in the Trust 
     Territories of the Pacific Islands and freely associated 
     states of Micronesia, pursuant to the Compact of Free 
     Association as authorized by Public Law 99-239: Provided 
     further, That upon a determination by the Secretary of the 
     Army that such action is beneficial for graduate medical 
     education programs conducted at Army medical facilities 
     located in Hawaii, the Secretary of the Army may authorize 
     the provision of medical services at such facilities and 
     transportation to such facilities, on a nonreimbursable 
     basis, for civilian patients from American Samoa, the 
     Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Marshall 
     Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and Guam.
       Sec. 8012. (a) During fiscal year 2016, the civilian 
     personnel of the Department of Defense may not be managed on 
     the basis of any end-strength, and the management of such 
     personnel during that fiscal year shall not be subject to any 
     constraint or limitation (known as an end-strength) on the 
     number of such personnel who may be employed on the last day 
     of such fiscal year.
       (b) The fiscal year 2017 budget request for the Department 
     of Defense as well as all justification material and other 
     documentation

[[Page 9204]]

     supporting the fiscal year 2017 Department of Defense budget 
     request shall be prepared and submitted to the Congress as if 
     subsections (a) and (b) of this provision were effective with 
     regard to fiscal year 2017.
       (c) As required by section 1107 of the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 (Public Law 113-66; 10 
     U.S.C. 2358 note) civilian personnel at the Department of 
     Army Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratories may not 
     be managed on the basis of the Table of Distribution and 
     Allowances, and the management of the workforce strength 
     shall be done in a manner consistent with the budget 
     available with respect to such Laboratories.
       (d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to 
     military (civilian) technicians.
       Sec. 8013.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     shall be used in any way, directly or indirectly, to 
     influence congressional action on any legislation or 
     appropriation matters pending before the Congress.
       Sec. 8014.  None of the funds appropriated by this Act 
     shall be available for the basic pay and allowances of any 
     member of the Army participating as a full-time student and 
     receiving benefits paid by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
     from the Department of Defense Education Benefits Fund when 
     time spent as a full-time student is credited toward 
     completion of a service commitment: Provided, That this 
     section shall not apply to those members who have reenlisted 
     with this option prior to October 1, 1987: Provided further, 
     That this section applies only to active components of the 
     Army.

                          (transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8015.  Funds appropriated in title III of this Act for 
     the Department of Defense Pilot Mentor-Protege Program may be 
     transferred to any other appropriation contained in this Act 
     solely for the purpose of implementing a Mentor-Protege 
     Program developmental assistance agreement pursuant to 
     section 831 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 1991 (Public Law 101-510; 10 U.S.C. 2302 note), 
     as amended, under the authority of this provision or any 
     other transfer authority contained in this Act.
       Sec. 8016.  None of the funds in this Act may be available 
     for the purchase by the Department of Defense (and its 
     departments and agencies) of welded shipboard anchor and 
     mooring chain 4 inches in diameter and under unless the 
     anchor and mooring chain are manufactured in the United 
     States from components which are substantially manufactured 
     in the United States: Provided, That for the purpose of this 
     section, the term ``manufactured'' shall include cutting, 
     heat treating, quality control, testing of chain and welding 
     (including the forging and shot blasting process): Provided 
     further, That for the purpose of this section substantially 
     all of the components of anchor and mooring chain shall be 
     considered to be produced or manufactured in the United 
     States if the aggregate cost of the components produced or 
     manufactured in the United States exceeds the aggregate cost 
     of the components produced or manufactured outside the United 
     States: Provided further, That when adequate domestic 
     supplies are not available to meet Department of Defense 
     requirements on a timely basis, the Secretary of the service 
     responsible for the procurement may waive this restriction on 
     a case-by-case basis by certifying in writing to the 
     Committees on Appropriations that such an acquisition must be 
     made in order to acquire capability for national security 
     purposes.
       Sec. 8017.  None of the funds available to the Department 
     of Defense in the current fiscal year or any fiscal year 
     hereafter may be used to demilitarize or dispose of M-1 
     Carbines, M-1 Garand rifles, M-14 rifles, .22 caliber rifles, 
     .30 caliber rifles, or M-1911 pistols, or to demilitarize or 
     destroy small arms ammunition or ammunition components that 
     are not otherwise prohibited from commercial sale under 
     Federal law, unless the small arms ammunition or ammunition 
     components are certified by the Secretary of the Army or 
     designee as unserviceable or unsafe for further use.
       Sec. 8018.  No more than $500,000 of the funds appropriated 
     or made available in this Act shall be used during a single 
     fiscal year for any single relocation of an organization, 
     unit, activity or function of the Department of Defense into 
     or within the National Capital Region: Provided, That the 
     Secretary of Defense may waive this restriction on a case-by-
     case basis by certifying in writing to the congressional 
     defense committees that such a relocation is required in the 
     best interest of the Government.
       Sec. 8019.  Of the funds made available in this Act, 
     $15,000,000 shall be available for incentive payments 
     authorized by section 504 of the Indian Financing Act of 1974 
     (25 U.S.C. 1544): Provided, That a prime contractor or a 
     subcontractor at any tier that makes a subcontract award to 
     any subcontractor or supplier as defined in section 1544 of 
     title 25, United States Code, or a small business owned and 
     controlled by an individual or individuals defined under 
     section 4221(9) of title 25, United States Code, shall be 
     considered a contractor for the purposes of being allowed 
     additional compensation under section 504 of the Indian 
     Financing Act of 1974 (25 U.S.C. 1544) whenever the prime 
     contract or subcontract amount is over $500,000 and involves 
     the expenditure of funds appropriated by an Act making 
     appropriations for the Department of Defense with respect to 
     any fiscal year: Provided further, That notwithstanding 
     section 1906 of title 41, United States Code, this section 
     shall be applicable to any Department of Defense acquisition 
     of supplies or services, including any contract and any 
     subcontract at any tier for acquisition of commercial items 
     produced or manufactured, in whole or in part, by any 
     subcontractor or supplier defined in section 1544 of title 
     25, United States Code, or a small business owned and 
     controlled by an individual or individuals defined under 
     section 4221(9) of title 25, United States Code.
       Sec. 8020.  Funds appropriated by this Act for the Defense 
     Media Activity shall not be used for any national or 
     international political or psychological activities.
       Sec. 8021.  During the current fiscal year, the Department 
     of Defense is authorized to incur obligations of not to 
     exceed $350,000,000 for purposes specified in section 
     2350j(c) of title 10, United States Code, in anticipation of 
     receipt of contributions, only from the Government of Kuwait, 
     under that section: Provided, That upon receipt, such 
     contributions from the Government of Kuwait shall be credited 
     to the appropriations or fund which incurred such 
     obligations.
       Sec. 8022. (a) Of the funds made available in this Act, not 
     less than $39,500,000 shall be available for the Civil Air 
     Patrol Corporation, of which--
       (1) $27,400,000 shall be available from ``Operation and 
     Maintenance, Air Force'' to support Civil Air Patrol 
     Corporation operation and maintenance, readiness, counter-
     drug activities, and drug demand reduction activities 
     involving youth programs;
       (2) $10,400,000 shall be available from ``Aircraft 
     Procurement, Air Force''; and
       (3) $1,700,000 shall be available from ``Other Procurement, 
     Air Force'' for vehicle procurement.
       (b) The Secretary of the Air Force should waive 
     reimbursement for any funds used by the Civil Air Patrol for 
     counter-drug activities in support of Federal, State, and 
     local government agencies.
       Sec. 8023. (a) None of the funds appropriated in this Act 
     are available to establish a new Department of Defense 
     (department) federally funded research and development center 
     (FFRDC), either as a new entity, or as a separate entity 
     administrated by an organization managing another FFRDC, or 
     as a nonprofit membership corporation consisting of a 
     consortium of other FFRDCs and other nonprofit entities.
       (b) No member of a Board of Directors, Trustees, Overseers, 
     Advisory Group, Special Issues Panel, Visiting Committee, or 
     any similar entity of a defense FFRDC, and no paid consultant 
     to any defense FFRDC, except when acting in a technical 
     advisory capacity, may be compensated for his or her services 
     as a member of such entity, or as a paid consultant by more 
     than one FFRDC in a fiscal year: Provided, That a member of 
     any such entity referred to previously in this subsection 
     shall be allowed travel expenses and per diem as authorized 
     under the Federal Joint Travel Regulations, when engaged in 
     the performance of membership duties.
       (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the 
     funds available to the department from any source during 
     fiscal year 2016 may be used by a defense FFRDC, through a 
     fee or other payment mechanism, for construction of new 
     buildings, for payment of cost sharing for projects funded by 
     Government grants, for absorption of contract overruns, or 
     for certain charitable contributions, not to include employee 
     participation in community service and/or development.
       (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, of the 
     funds available to the department during fiscal year 2016, 
     not more than 5,750 staff years of technical effort (staff 
     years) may be funded for defense FFRDCs: Provided, That of 
     the specific amount referred to previously in this 
     subsection, not more than 1,125 staff years may be funded for 
     the defense studies and analysis FFRDCs: Provided further, 
     That this subsection shall not apply to staff years funded in 
     the National Intelligence Program (NIP) and the Military 
     Intelligence Program (MIP).
       (e) The Secretary of Defense shall, with the submission of 
     the department's fiscal year 2017 budget request, submit a 
     report presenting the specific amounts of staff years of 
     technical effort to be allocated for each defense FFRDC 
     during that fiscal year and the associated budget estimates.
       (f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the 
     total amount appropriated in this Act for FFRDCs is hereby 
     reduced by $88,400,000.
       Sec. 8024.  None of the funds appropriated or made 
     available in this Act shall be used to procure carbon, alloy, 
     or armor steel plate for use in any Government-owned facility 
     or property under the control of the Department of Defense 
     which were not melted and rolled in the United States or 
     Canada: Provided, That these procurement restrictions shall 
     apply to any and all Federal Supply Class 9515, American 
     Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) or American Iron and 
     Steel Institute (AISI) specifications of carbon, alloy or 
     armor steel plate: Provided further, That the Secretary of 
     the military department responsible for the procurement

[[Page 9205]]

     may waive this restriction on a case-by-case basis by 
     certifying in writing to the Committees on Appropriations of 
     the House of Representatives and the Senate that adequate 
     domestic supplies are not available to meet Department of 
     Defense requirements on a timely basis and that such an 
     acquisition must be made in order to acquire capability for 
     national security purposes: Provided further, That these 
     restrictions shall not apply to contracts which are in being 
     as of the date of the enactment of this Act.
       Sec. 8025.  For the purposes of this Act, the term 
     ``congressional defense committees'' means the Armed Services 
     Committee of the House of Representatives, the Armed Services 
     Committee of the Senate, the Subcommittee on Defense of the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the 
     Subcommittee on Defense of the Committee on Appropriations of 
     the House of Representatives.
       Sec. 8026.  During the current fiscal year, the Department 
     of Defense may acquire the modification, depot maintenance 
     and repair of aircraft, vehicles and vessels as well as the 
     production of components and other Defense-related articles, 
     through competition between Department of Defense depot 
     maintenance activities and private firms: Provided, That the 
     Senior Acquisition Executive of the military department or 
     Defense Agency concerned, with power of delegation, shall 
     certify that successful bids include comparable estimates of 
     all direct and indirect costs for both public and private 
     bids: Provided further, That Office of Management and Budget 
     Circular A-76 shall not apply to competitions conducted under 
     this section.
       Sec. 8027. (a)(1) If the Secretary of Defense, after 
     consultation with the United States Trade Representative, 
     determines that a foreign country which is party to an 
     agreement described in paragraph (2) has violated the terms 
     of the agreement by discriminating against certain types of 
     products produced in the United States that are covered by 
     the agreement, the Secretary of Defense shall rescind the 
     Secretary's blanket waiver of the Buy American Act with 
     respect to such types of products produced in that foreign 
     country.
       (2) An agreement referred to in paragraph (1) is any 
     reciprocal defense procurement memorandum of understanding, 
     between the United States and a foreign country pursuant to 
     which the Secretary of Defense has prospectively waived the 
     Buy American Act for certain products in that country.
       (b) The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Congress a 
     report on the amount of Department of Defense purchases from 
     foreign entities in fiscal year 2016. Such report shall 
     separately indicate the dollar value of items for which the 
     Buy American Act was waived pursuant to any agreement 
     described in subsection (a)(2), the Trade Agreement Act of 
     1979 (19 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.), or any international agreement 
     to which the United States is a party.
       (c) For purposes of this section, the term ``Buy American 
     Act'' means chapter 83 of title 41, United States Code.
       Sec. 8028.  During the current fiscal year, amounts 
     contained in the Department of Defense Overseas Military 
     Facility Investment Recovery Account established by section 
     2921(c)(1) of the National Defense Authorization Act of 1991 
     (Public Law 101-510; 10 U.S.C. 2687 note) shall be available 
     until expended for the payments specified by section 
     2921(c)(2) of that Act.
       Sec. 8029. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     the Secretary of the Air Force may convey at no cost to the 
     Air Force, without consideration, to Indian tribes located in 
     the States of Nevada, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, 
     Montana, Oregon, Minnesota, and Washington relocatable 
     military housing units located at Grand Forks Air Force Base, 
     Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mountain Home Air Force Base, 
     Ellsworth Air Force Base, and Minot Air Force Base that are 
     excess to the needs of the Air Force.
       (b) The Secretary of the Air Force shall convey, at no cost 
     to the Air Force, military housing units under subsection (a) 
     in accordance with the request for such units that are 
     submitted to the Secretary by the Operation Walking Shield 
     Program on behalf of Indian tribes located in the States of 
     Nevada, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Oregon, 
     Minnesota, and Washington. Any such conveyance shall be 
     subject to the condition that the housing units shall be 
     removed within a reasonable period of time, as determined by 
     the Secretary.
       (c) The Operation Walking Shield Program shall resolve any 
     conflicts among requests of Indian tribes for housing units 
     under subsection (a) before submitting requests to the 
     Secretary of the Air Force under subsection (b).
       (d) In this section, the term ``Indian tribe'' means any 
     recognized Indian tribe included on the current list 
     published by the Secretary of the Interior under section 104 
     of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe Act of 1994 (Public 
     Law 103-454; 108 Stat. 4792; 25 U.S.C. 479a-1).
       Sec. 8030.  During the current fiscal year, appropriations 
     which are available to the Department of Defense for 
     operation and maintenance may be used to purchase items 
     having an investment item unit cost of not more than 
     $250,000.
       Sec. 8031.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used to--
       (1) disestablish, or prepare to disestablish, a Senior 
     Reserve Officers' Training Corps program in accordance with 
     Department of Defense Instruction Number 1215.08, dated June 
     26, 2006; or
       (2) close, downgrade from host to extension center, or 
     place on probation a Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps 
     program in accordance with the information paper of the 
     Department of the Army titled ``Army Senior Reserve Officers' 
     Training Corps (SROTC) Program Review and Criteria'', dated 
     January 27, 2014.
       Sec. 8032. (a) During the current fiscal year, none of the 
     appropriations or funds available to the Department of 
     Defense Working Capital Funds shall be used for the purchase 
     of an investment item for the purpose of acquiring a new 
     inventory item for sale or anticipated sale during the 
     current fiscal year or a subsequent fiscal year to customers 
     of the Department of Defense Working Capital Funds if such an 
     item would not have been chargeable to the Department of 
     Defense Business Operations Fund during fiscal year 1994 and 
     if the purchase of such an investment item would be 
     chargeable during the current fiscal year to appropriations 
     made to the Department of Defense for procurement.
       (b) The fiscal year 2017 budget request for the Department 
     of Defense as well as all justification material and other 
     documentation supporting the fiscal year 2017 Department of 
     Defense budget shall be prepared and submitted to the 
     Congress on the basis that any equipment which was classified 
     as an end item and funded in a procurement appropriation 
     contained in this Act shall be budgeted for in a proposed 
     fiscal year 2017 procurement appropriation and not in the 
     supply management business area or any other area or category 
     of the Department of Defense Working Capital Funds.
       Sec. 8033.  None of the funds appropriated by this Act for 
     programs of the Central Intelligence Agency shall remain 
     available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year, 
     except for funds appropriated for the Reserve for 
     Contingencies, which shall remain available until September 
     30, 2017: Provided, That funds appropriated, transferred, or 
     otherwise credited to the Central Intelligence Agency Central 
     Services Working Capital Fund during this or any prior or 
     subsequent fiscal year shall remain available until expended: 
     Provided further, That any funds appropriated or transferred 
     to the Central Intelligence Agency for advanced research and 
     development acquisition, for agent operations, and for covert 
     action programs authorized by the President under section 503 
     of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3093) shall 
     remain available until September 30, 2017.
       Sec. 8034.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     funds made available in this Act for the Defense Intelligence 
     Agency may be used for the design, development, and 
     deployment of General Defense Intelligence Program 
     intelligence communications and intelligence information 
     systems for the Services, the Unified and Specified Commands, 
     and the component commands.
       Sec. 8035.  Of the funds appropriated to the Department of 
     Defense under the heading ``Operation and Maintenance, 
     Defense-Wide'', not less than $12,000,000 shall be made 
     available only for the mitigation of environmental impacts, 
     including training and technical assistance to tribes, 
     related administrative support, the gathering of information, 
     documenting of environmental damage, and developing a system 
     for prioritization of mitigation and cost to complete 
     estimates for mitigation, on Indian lands resulting from 
     Department of Defense activities.
       Sec. 8036. (a) None of the funds appropriated in this Act 
     may be expended by an entity of the Department of Defense 
     unless the entity, in expending the funds, complies with the 
     Buy American Act. For purposes of this subsection, the term 
     ``Buy American Act'' means chapter 83 of title 41, United 
     States Code.
       (b) If the Secretary of Defense determines that a person 
     has been convicted of intentionally affixing a label bearing 
     a ``Made in America'' inscription to any product sold in or 
     shipped to the United States that is not made in America, the 
     Secretary shall determine, in accordance with section 2410f 
     of title 10, United States Code, whether the person should be 
     debarred from contracting with the Department of Defense.
       (c) In the case of any equipment or products purchased with 
     appropriations provided under this Act, it is the sense of 
     the Congress that any entity of the Department of Defense, in 
     expending the appropriation, purchase only American-made 
     equipment and products, provided that American-made equipment 
     and products are cost-competitive, quality competitive, and 
     available in a timely fashion.
       Sec. 8037.  None of the funds appropriated by this Act 
     shall be available for a contract for studies, analysis, or 
     consulting services entered into without competition on the 
     basis of an unsolicited proposal unless the head of the 
     activity responsible for the procurement determines--
       (1) as a result of thorough technical evaluation, only one 
     source is found fully qualified to perform the proposed work;

[[Page 9206]]

       (2) the purpose of the contract is to explore an 
     unsolicited proposal which offers significant scientific or 
     technological promise, represents the product of original 
     thinking, and was submitted in confidence by one source; or
       (3) the purpose of the contract is to take advantage of 
     unique and significant industrial accomplishment by a 
     specific concern, or to insure that a new product or idea of 
     a specific concern is given financial support: Provided, That 
     this limitation shall not apply to contracts in an amount of 
     less than $25,000, contracts related to improvements of 
     equipment that is in development or production, or contracts 
     as to which a civilian official of the Department of Defense, 
     who has been confirmed by the Senate, determines that the 
     award of such contract is in the interest of the national 
     defense.
       Sec. 8038. (a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and 
     (c), none of the funds made available by this Act may be 
     used--
       (1) to establish a field operating agency; or
       (2) to pay the basic pay of a member of the Armed Forces or 
     civilian employee of the department who is transferred or 
     reassigned from a headquarters activity if the member or 
     employee's place of duty remains at the location of that 
     headquarters.
       (b) The Secretary of Defense or Secretary of a military 
     department may waive the limitations in subsection (a), on a 
     case-by-case basis, if the Secretary determines, and 
     certifies to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate that the granting of the 
     waiver will reduce the personnel requirements or the 
     financial requirements of the department.
       (c) This section does not apply to--
       (1) field operating agencies funded within the National 
     Intelligence Program;
       (2) an Army field operating agency established to 
     eliminate, mitigate, or counter the effects of improvised 
     explosive devices, and, as determined by the Secretary of the 
     Army, other similar threats;
       (3) an Army field operating agency established to improve 
     the effectiveness and efficiencies of biometric activities 
     and to integrate common biometric technologies throughout the 
     Department of Defense; or
       (4) an Air Force field operating agency established to 
     administer the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Program and 
     Mortuary Operations for the Department of Defense and 
     authorized Federal entities.
       Sec. 8039. (a) None of the funds appropriated by this Act 
     shall be available to convert to contractor performance an 
     activity or function of the Department of Defense that, on or 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, is performed by 
     Department of Defense civilian employees unless--
       (1) the conversion is based on the result of a public-
     private competition that includes a most efficient and cost 
     effective organization plan developed by such activity or 
     function;
       (2) the Competitive Sourcing Official determines that, over 
     all performance periods stated in the solicitation of offers 
     for performance of the activity or function, the cost of 
     performance of the activity or function by a contractor would 
     be less costly to the Department of Defense by an amount that 
     equals or exceeds the lesser of--
       (A) 10 percent of the most efficient organization's 
     personnel-related costs for performance of that activity or 
     function by Federal employees; or
       (B) $10,000,000; and
       (3) the contractor does not receive an advantage for a 
     proposal that would reduce costs for the Department of 
     Defense by--
       (A) not making an employer-sponsored health insurance plan 
     available to the workers who are to be employed in the 
     performance of that activity or function under the contract; 
     or
       (B) offering to such workers an employer-sponsored health 
     benefits plan that requires the employer to contribute less 
     towards the premium or subscription share than the amount 
     that is paid by the Department of Defense for health benefits 
     for civilian employees under chapter 89 of title 5, United 
     States Code.
       (b)(1) The Department of Defense, without regard to 
     subsection (a) of this section or subsection (a), (b), or (c) 
     of section 2461 of title 10, United States Code, and 
     notwithstanding any administrative regulation, requirement, 
     or policy to the contrary shall have full authority to enter 
     into a contract for the performance of any commercial or 
     industrial type function of the Department of Defense that--
       (A) is included on the procurement list established 
     pursuant to section 2 of the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act (section 
     8503 of title 41, United States Code);
       (B) is planned to be converted to performance by a 
     qualified nonprofit agency for the blind or by a qualified 
     nonprofit agency for other severely handicapped individuals 
     in accordance with that Act; or
       (C) is planned to be converted to performance by a 
     qualified firm under at least 51 percent ownership by an 
     Indian tribe, as defined in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-
     Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
     450b(e)), or a Native Hawaiian Organization, as defined in 
     section 8(a)(15) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
     637(a)(15)).
       (2) This section shall not apply to depot contracts or 
     contracts for depot maintenance as provided in sections 2469 
     and 2474 of title 10, United States Code.
       (c) The conversion of any activity or function of the 
     Department of Defense under the authority provided by this 
     section shall be credited toward any competitive or 
     outsourcing goal, target, or measurement that may be 
     established by statute, regulation, or policy and is deemed 
     to be awarded under the authority of, and in compliance with, 
     subsection (h) of section 2304 of title 10, United States 
     Code, for the competition or outsourcing of commercial 
     activities.

                             (rescissions)

       Sec. 8040.  Of the funds appropriated in Department of 
     Defense Appropriations Acts, the following funds are hereby 
     rescinded from the following accounts and programs in the 
     specified amounts: Provided, That no amounts may be rescinded 
     from amounts that were designated by the Congress for 
     Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism or as 
     an emergency requirement pursuant to the Concurrent 
     Resolution on the Budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended:
       (1) ``Other Procurement, Army'', 2014/2016, $40,000,000;
       (2) ``Aircraft Procurement, Navy'', 2014/2016, $91,571,000;
       (3) ``Weapons Procurement, Navy'', 2014/2016, $888,000;
       (4) ``Aircraft Procurement, Air Force'', 2014/2016, 
     $2,300,000;
       (5) ``Missile Procurement, Air Force'', 2014/2016, 
     $1,000,000;
       (6) ``Procurement of Ammunition, Air Force'', 2014/2016, 
     $12,600,000;
       (7) ``Other Procurement, Air Force'', 2014/2016, 
     $14,000,000;
       (8) ``Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, 
     Army'', 2015/2017, $30,000,000;
       (9) ``Other Procurement, Army'', 2015/2017, $30,000,000;
       (10) ``Aircraft Procurement, Navy'', 2015/2017, 
     $49,377,000;
       (11) ``Weapons Procurement, Navy'', 2015/2017, $15,422,000;
       (12) ``Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps'', 
     2015/2017, $8,906,000;
       (13) ``Procurement, Marine Corps'', 2015/2017, $88,996,000;
       (14) ``Aircraft Procurement, Air Force'', 2015/2017, 
     $108,870,000;
       (15) ``Missile Procurement, Air Force'', 2015/2017, 
     $75,000,000;
       (16) ``Other Procurement, Air Force'', 2015/2017, 
     $8,000,000;
       (17) ``Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy'', 
     2015/2016, $232,228,000; and
       (18) ``Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air 
     Force'', 2015/2016, $60,271,000.
       Sec. 8041.  None of the funds available in this Act may be 
     used to reduce the authorized positions for military 
     technicians (dual status) of the Army National Guard, Air 
     National Guard, Army Reserve and Air Force Reserve for the 
     purpose of applying any administratively imposed civilian 
     personnel ceiling, freeze, or reduction on military 
     technicians (dual status), unless such reductions are a 
     direct result of a reduction in military force structure.
       Sec. 8042.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
     made available in this Act may be obligated or expended for 
     assistance to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea 
     unless specifically appropriated for that purpose.
       Sec. 8043.  Funds appropriated in this Act for operation 
     and maintenance of the Military Departments, Combatant 
     Commands and Defense Agencies shall be available for 
     reimbursement of pay, allowances and other expenses which 
     would otherwise be incurred against appropriations for the 
     National Guard and Reserve when members of the National Guard 
     and Reserve provide intelligence or counterintelligence 
     support to Combatant Commands, Defense Agencies and Joint 
     Intelligence Activities, including the activities and 
     programs included within the National Intelligence Program 
     and the Military Intelligence Program: Provided, That nothing 
     in this section authorizes deviation from established Reserve 
     and National Guard personnel and training procedures.
       Sec. 8044. (a) None of the funds available to the 
     Department of Defense for any fiscal year for drug 
     interdiction or counter-drug activities may be transferred to 
     any other department or agency of the United States except as 
     specifically provided in an appropriations law.
       (b) None of the funds available to the Central Intelligence 
     Agency for any fiscal year for drug interdiction or counter-
     drug activities may be transferred to any other department or 
     agency of the United States except as specifically provided 
     in an appropriations law.
       Sec. 8045.  None of the funds appropriated by this Act may 
     be used for the procurement of ball and roller bearings other 
     than those produced by a domestic source and of domestic 
     origin: Provided, That the Secretary of the military 
     department responsible for such procurement may waive this 
     restriction on a case-by-case basis by certifying in writing 
     to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate, that adequate domestic 
     supplies are not available to meet Department of Defense 
     requirements on a timely basis and that such

[[Page 9207]]

     an acquisition must be made in order to acquire capability 
     for national security purposes: Provided further, That this 
     restriction shall not apply to the purchase of ``commercial 
     items'', as defined by section 103 of title 41, United States 
     Code, except that the restriction shall apply to ball or 
     roller bearings purchased as end items.
       Sec. 8046.  In addition to the amounts appropriated or 
     otherwise made available elsewhere in this Act, $44,000,000 
     is hereby appropriated to the Department of Defense: 
     Provided, That upon the determination of the Secretary of 
     Defense that it shall serve the national interest, the 
     Secretary shall make grants in the amounts specified as 
     follows: $20,000,000 to the United Service Organizations and 
     $24,000,000 to the Red Cross.
       Sec. 8047.  None of the funds in this Act may be used to 
     purchase any supercomputer which is not manufactured in the 
     United States, unless the Secretary of Defense certifies to 
     the congressional defense committees that such an acquisition 
     must be made in order to acquire capability for national 
     security purposes that is not available from United States 
     manufacturers.
       Sec. 8048.  Notwithstanding any other provision in this 
     Act, the Small Business Innovation Research program and the 
     Small Business Technology Transfer program set-asides may be 
     taken from programs, projects, or activities to the extent 
     they contribute to the extramural budget.
       Sec. 8049.  None of the funds available to the Department 
     of Defense under this Act shall be obligated or expended to 
     pay a contractor under a contract with the Department of 
     Defense for costs of any amount paid by the contractor to an 
     employee when--
       (1) such costs are for a bonus or otherwise in excess of 
     the normal salary paid by the contractor to the employee; and
       (2) such bonus is part of restructuring costs associated 
     with a business combination.

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8050.  During the current fiscal year, no more than 
     $30,000,000 of appropriations made in this Act under the 
     heading ``Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide'' may be 
     transferred to appropriations available for the pay of 
     military personnel, to be merged with, and to be available 
     for the same time period as the appropriations to which 
     transferred, to be used in support of such personnel in 
     connection with support and services for eligible 
     organizations and activities outside the Department of 
     Defense pursuant to section 2012 of title 10, United States 
     Code.
       Sec. 8051.  During the current fiscal year, in the case of 
     an appropriation account of the Department of Defense for 
     which the period of availability for obligation has expired 
     or which has closed under the provisions of section 1552 of 
     title 31, United States Code, and which has a negative 
     unliquidated or unexpended balance, an obligation or an 
     adjustment of an obligation may be charged to any current 
     appropriation account for the same purpose as the expired or 
     closed account if--
       (1) the obligation would have been properly chargeable 
     (except as to amount) to the expired or closed account before 
     the end of the period of availability or closing of that 
     account;
       (2) the obligation is not otherwise properly chargeable to 
     any current appropriation account of the Department of 
     Defense; and
       (3) in the case of an expired account, the obligation is 
     not chargeable to a current appropriation of the Department 
     of Defense under the provisions of section 1405(b)(8) of the 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991, 
     Public Law 101-510, as amended (31 U.S.C. 1551 note): 
     Provided, That in the case of an expired account, if 
     subsequent review or investigation discloses that there was 
     not in fact a negative unliquidated or unexpended balance in 
     the account, any charge to a current account under the 
     authority of this section shall be reversed and recorded 
     against the expired account: Provided further, That the total 
     amount charged to a current appropriation under this section 
     may not exceed an amount equal to 1 percent of the total 
     appropriation for that account.
       Sec. 8052. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     the Chief of the National Guard Bureau may permit the use of 
     equipment of the National Guard Distance Learning Project by 
     any person or entity on a space-available, reimbursable 
     basis. The Chief of the National Guard Bureau shall establish 
     the amount of reimbursement for such use on a case-by-case 
     basis.
       (b) Amounts collected under subsection (a) shall be 
     credited to funds available for the National Guard Distance 
     Learning Project and be available to defray the costs 
     associated with the use of equipment of the project under 
     that subsection. Such funds shall be available for such 
     purposes without fiscal year limitation.
       Sec. 8053.  Using funds made available by this Act or any 
     other Act, the Secretary of the Air Force, pursuant to a 
     determination under section 2690 of title 10, United States 
     Code, may implement cost-effective agreements for required 
     heating facility modernization in the Kaiserslautern Military 
     Community in the Federal Republic of Germany: Provided, That 
     in the City of Kaiserslautern and at the Rhine Ordnance 
     Barracks area, such agreements will include the use of United 
     States anthracite as the base load energy for municipal 
     district heat to the United States Defense installations: 
     Provided further, That at Landstuhl Army Regional Medical 
     Center and Ramstein Air Base, furnished heat may be obtained 
     from private, regional or municipal services, if provisions 
     are included for the consideration of United States coal as 
     an energy source.

                              {time}  1915


                 Amendment No. 4 Offered by Mr. Huffman

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I have amendment No. 4 that is printed in 
the Congressional Record.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Strike section 8053.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from California and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Each year, the Department of Defense ships coal from Tamaqua, 
Pennsylvania, about 3,000 miles away to an Air Force base in Germany, 
costing taxpayers millions of dollars more than if we simply treated 
this particular base like every other military base in the world.
  Why do we do this?
  Since 1972, each Defense Appropriations act has included an earmark 
requiring that the Pentagon purchase anthracite coal from Pennsylvania 
to heat this base in Kaiserslautern, Germany. This is wasteful 
spending, pure and simple.
  My bipartisan amendment, which I am offering with my colleague Tom 
McClintock, would finally remove this zombie earmark and save taxpayers 
millions of dollars each year.
  At its peak, this earmark mandated that the government purchase more 
than a million tons of anthracite coal each year to power overseas 
bases and installations, but today, the Department of Defense purchases 
only about 5,000 to 9,000 tons of coal annually, and it is to meet the 
requirements of this specific base in Kaiserslautern. It costs 
taxpayers millions of dollars each time. According to the last study we 
did on this, which was way back in 1989, the Department of Defense, the 
State Department, and the Department of Commerce jointly concluded that 
these mandates had cost U.S. taxpayers $1.1 billion, and that was 26 
years ago, so it is a lot more since then.
  For decades, the Pentagon has urged Congress to remove this wasteful 
earmark and allow the use of cheaper fuel to power our military base in 
Germany. President after President has urged the removal of this 
earmark--both Republicans and Democrats--every President since Jimmy 
Carter and including President Ronald Reagan. Today, we have an 
opportunity to finally achieve that goal.
  I want to thank Mr. McClintock for his leadership in introducing this 
amendment with me.
  The passage of this amendment would be proof positive, I think, to 
Americans back home that Republicans and Democrats can work together to 
cut wasteful spending. I urge my colleagues to support the Huffman-
McClintock amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
McClintock).
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Chairman, I don't support the war on coal that is waged by some 
of my friends on the left, but I do support the war on waste, and I 
support this amendment based upon that fiscal imperative.
  Just a few weeks ago, so-called defense hawks demanded spending well 
in excess of budget caps because, they said, our defense spending had 
been stretched to the breaking point. In light of those warnings, I 
find it inexcusable that these scarce defense dollars would be so 
recklessly squandered to continue to fund a corrupt earmark from a 
disgraced and deceased Pennsylvania Congressman, an earmark that dates 
back more than 40 years.
  That earmark, as my friend has just said, requires that one--and only 
one--

[[Page 9208]]

American Air Force base must purchase 9,000 tons of Pennsylvania 
anthracite coal a year at the grossly inflated price that is estimated 
to be about $20 million. That is about 80 percent more expensive than 
commonly used coal, and that doesn't include the cost of transporting 
this overpriced coal across the Atlantic Ocean and halfway across the 
European continent--a cost that is absorbed elsewhere in the Air Force 
budget. The excuse is that we would otherwise be dependent on Putin, 
but that doesn't hold water. No other U.S. military base in all of 
Europe is required to buy this coal, only Kaiserslautern.
  The Pentagon and successive Presidents have consistently protested 
this waste, but these protests have fallen on deaf ears in Congress 
even while we are told our defense spending has been cut to the bone.
  If we don't change the spending trajectory of this government, the 
Congressional Budget Office warns, in the next 10 years, just paying 
the interest on the national debt will greatly exceed our entire 
Defense budget. That makes rooting out waste like this a national 
defense imperative.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I am not an expert in coal, and I am 
not an expert in what these men describe as an earmark, but I do know 
that coal is reliable, that it is cost-effective, that it is 
domestically produced, and that it has been used at this Air Force base 
for a long time. This provision both promotes domestic resources of 
energy and ensures that our bases and that particular base have a 
reliable, continuous source of energy for their daily operations.
  I don't think we ought to dismiss the notion that Germany is under 
attack by Russian aggression, and Russia would at any time cut off fuel 
supplies, as they have done to other countries in Eastern Europe. 
Europe, as an area, as a continent, remains heavily reliant on Russia 
for its energy, and Russia uses its leverage on an annual basis to 
quiet potential opposition to that aggression in Ukraine and other 
parts of the region. This is a stark reminder of how important it is to 
ensure that our military has a reliable domestic source of energy 
wherever it is in the world. This may be an unusual circumstance, but I 
see no reason to change it. I urge a ``no'' vote on the amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, we have well over 30 other defense 
installations in Germany and hundreds of others across the globe. To my 
knowledge--and I have made inquiries on this subject--not a single one 
of those installations operates with a congressionally mandated fuel 
source like the one we are talking about here. The Kaiserslautern 
facility is, truly, one of a kind.
  This is a commonsense amendment that provides the Pentagon the 
flexibility to ensure that our military installations continue to have 
reliable, cheaper, and cleaner energy sources in the years ahead. The 
congressional mandate in question was added to the Defense 
Appropriations bill over 40 years ago to an accumulated cost of well 
over $1 billion to the taxpayers.
  Mr. Chairman, this is not about our national security. This is not a 
weapons system. This is not funding to support or protect our troops. 
This isn't doing anything for our country or our national security 
except wasting taxpayer dollars and making one particular coal company 
in eastern Pennsylvania a little bit richer.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' and support this bipartisan 
amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California 
will be postponed.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:


                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8054.  Of the funds appropriated in this Act under the 
     heading ``Operation and Maintenance, Defense-wide'', 
     $20,000,000 shall be for support of high priority Sexual 
     Assault Prevention and Response Program requirements and 
     activities, including the training and funding of personnel: 
     Provided, That the funds are made available for transfer to 
     the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and 
     the Department of the Air Force: Provided further, That funds 
     transferred shall be merged with and available for the same 
     purposes and for the same time period as the appropriations 
     to which the funds are transferred: Provided further, That 
     this transfer authority is in addition to any other transfer 
     authority provided in this Act.
       Sec. 8055.  None of the funds appropriated in title IV of 
     this Act may be used to procure end-items for delivery to 
     military forces for operational training, operational use or 
     inventory requirements: Provided, That this restriction does 
     not apply to end-items used in development, prototyping, and 
     test activities preceding and leading to acceptance for 
     operational use: Provided further, That this restriction does 
     not apply to programs funded within the National Intelligence 
     Program: Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense may 
     waive this restriction on a case-by-case basis by certifying 
     in writing to the Committees on Appropriations of the House 
     of Representatives and the Senate that it is in the national 
     security interest to do so.
       Sec. 8056. (a) The Secretary of Defense may, on a case-by-
     case basis, waive with respect to a foreign country each 
     limitation on the procurement of defense items from foreign 
     sources provided in law if the Secretary determines that the 
     application of the limitation with respect to that country 
     would invalidate cooperative programs entered into between 
     the Department of Defense and the foreign country, or would 
     invalidate reciprocal trade agreements for the procurement of 
     defense items entered into under section 2531 of title 10, 
     United States Code, and the country does not discriminate 
     against the same or similar defense items produced in the 
     United States for that country.
       (b) Subsection (a) applies with respect to--
       (1) contracts and subcontracts entered into on or after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act; and
       (2) options for the procurement of items that are exercised 
     after such date under contracts that are entered into before 
     such date if the option prices are adjusted for any reason 
     other than the application of a waiver granted under 
     subsection (a).
       (c) Subsection (a) does not apply to a limitation regarding 
     construction of public vessels, ball and roller bearings, 
     food, and clothing or textile materials as defined by section 
     XI (chapters 50-65) of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 
     United States and products classified under headings 4010, 
     4202, 4203, 6401 through 6406, 6505, 7019, 7218 through 7229, 
     7304.41 through 7304.49, 7306.40, 7502 through 7508, 8105, 
     8108, 8109, 8211, 8215, and 9404.
       Sec. 8057. (a) In General.--
       (1) None of the funds made available by this Act may be 
     used for any training, equipment, or other assistance for a 
     unit of a foreign security force if the Secretary of Defense 
     has credible information that the unit has committed a gross 
     violation of human rights.
       (2) The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the 
     Secretary of State, shall ensure that prior to a decision to 
     provide any training, equipment, or other assistance to a 
     unit of a foreign security force full consideration is given 
     to any credible information available to the Department of 
     State relating to human rights violations by such unit.
       (b) Exception.--The prohibition in subsection (a)(1) shall 
     not apply if the Secretary of Defense, after consultation 
     with the Secretary of State, determines that the government 
     of such country has taken all necessary corrective steps, or 
     if the equipment or other assistance is necessary to assist 
     in disaster relief operations or other humanitarian or 
     national security emergencies.
       (c) Waiver.--The Secretary of Defense, after consultation 
     with the Secretary of State, may waive the prohibition in 
     subsection (a)(1) if the Secretary of Defense determines that 
     such waiver is required by extraordinary circumstances.
       (d) Procedures.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish, 
     and periodically update, procedures to ensure that any 
     information in the possession of the Department of Defense 
     about gross violations of human rights by units of foreign 
     security forces is shared on a timely basis with the 
     Department of State.
       (e) Report.--Not more than 15 days after the application of 
     any exception under subsection (b) or the exercise of any 
     waiver under subsection (c), the Secretary of Defense shall 
     submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report--
       (1) in the case of an exception under subsection (b), 
     providing notice of the use of the exception and stating the 
     grounds for the exception; and
       (2) in the case of a waiver under subsection (c), 
     describing the information relating to

[[Page 9209]]

     the gross violation of human rights; the extraordinary 
     circumstances that necessitate the waiver; the purpose and 
     duration of the training, equipment, or other assistance; and 
     the United States forces and the foreign security force unit 
     involved.
       Sec. 8058.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
     made available by this or other Department of Defense 
     Appropriations Acts may be obligated or expended for the 
     purpose of performing repairs or maintenance to military 
     family housing units of the Department of Defense, including 
     areas in such military family housing units that may be used 
     for the purpose of conducting official Department of Defense 
     business.
       Sec. 8059.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     funds appropriated in this Act under the heading ``Research, 
     Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide'' for any new 
     start advanced concept technology demonstration project or 
     joint capability demonstration project may only be obligated 
     45 days after a report, including a description of the 
     project, the planned acquisition and transition strategy and 
     its estimated annual and total cost, has been provided in 
     writing to the congressional defense committees: Provided, 
     That the Secretary of Defense may waive this restriction on a 
     case-by-case basis by certifying to the congressional defense 
     committees that it is in the national interest to do so.
       Sec. 8060.  The Secretary of Defense shall provide a 
     classified quarterly report beginning 30 days after enactment 
     of this Act, to the House and Senate Appropriations 
     Committees, Subcommittees on Defense on certain matters as 
     directed in the classified annex accompanying this Act.
       Sec. 8061.  Notwithstanding section 12310(b) of title 10, 
     United States Code, a Reserve who is a member of the National 
     Guard serving on full-time National Guard duty under section 
     502(f) of title 32, United States Code, may perform duties in 
     support of the ground-based elements of the National 
     Ballistic Missile Defense System.
       Sec. 8062.  None of the funds provided in this Act may be 
     used to transfer to any nongovernmental entity ammunition 
     held by the Department of Defense that has a center-fire 
     cartridge and a United States military nomenclature 
     designation of ``armor penetrator'', ``armor piercing (AP)'', 
     ``armor piercing incendiary (API)'', or ``armor-piercing 
     incendiary tracer (API-T)'', except to an entity performing 
     demilitarization services for the Department of Defense under 
     a contract that requires the entity to demonstrate to the 
     satisfaction of the Department of Defense that armor piercing 
     projectiles are either: (1) rendered incapable of reuse by 
     the demilitarization process; or (2) used to manufacture 
     ammunition pursuant to a contract with the Department of 
     Defense or the manufacture of ammunition for export pursuant 
     to a License for Permanent Export of Unclassified Military 
     Articles issued by the Department of State.
       Sec. 8063.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
     Chief of the National Guard Bureau, or his designee, may 
     waive payment of all or part of the consideration that 
     otherwise would be required under section 2667 of title 10, 
     United States Code, in the case of a lease of personal 
     property for a period not in excess of 1 year to any 
     organization specified in section 508(d) of title 32, United 
     States Code, or any other youth, social, or fraternal 
     nonprofit organization as may be approved by the Chief of the 
     National Guard Bureau, or his designee, on a case-by-case 
     basis.
       Sec. 8064.  None of the funds appropriated by this Act 
     shall be used for the support of any nonappropriated funds 
     activity of the Department of Defense that procures malt 
     beverages and wine with nonappropriated funds for resale 
     (including such alcoholic beverages sold by the drink) on a 
     military installation located in the United States unless 
     such malt beverages and wine are procured within that State, 
     or in the case of the District of Columbia, within the 
     District of Columbia, in which the military installation is 
     located: Provided, That in a case in which the military 
     installation is located in more than one State, purchases may 
     be made in any State in which the installation is located: 
     Provided further, That such local procurement requirements 
     for malt beverages and wine shall apply to all alcoholic 
     beverages only for military installations in States which are 
     not contiguous with another State: Provided further, That 
     alcoholic beverages other than wine and malt beverages, in 
     contiguous States and the District of Columbia shall be 
     procured from the most competitive source, price and other 
     factors considered.

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8065.  Of the amounts appropriated in this Act under 
     the heading ``Operation and Maintenance, Army'', $76,611,750 
     shall remain available until expended: Provided, That 
     notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of 
     Defense is authorized to transfer such funds to other 
     activities of the Federal Government: Provided further, That 
     the Secretary of Defense is authorized to enter into and 
     carry out contracts for the acquisition of real property, 
     construction, personal services, and operations related to 
     projects carrying out the purposes of this section: Provided 
     further, That contracts entered into under the authority of 
     this section may provide for such indemnification as the 
     Secretary determines to be necessary: Provided further, That 
     projects authorized by this section shall comply with 
     applicable Federal, State, and local law to the maximum 
     extent consistent with the national security, as determined 
     by the Secretary of Defense.
       Sec. 8066. (a) None of the funds appropriated in this or 
     any other Act may be used to take any action to modify--
       (1) the appropriations account structure for the National 
     Intelligence Program budget, including through the creation 
     of a new appropriation or new appropriation account;
       (2) how the National Intelligence Program budget request is 
     presented in the unclassified P-1, R-1, and O-1 documents 
     supporting the Department of Defense budget request;
       (3) the process by which the National Intelligence Program 
     appropriations are apportioned to the executing agencies; or
       (4) the process by which the National Intelligence Program 
     appropriations are allotted, obligated and disbursed.
       (b) Nothing in section (a) shall be construed to prohibit 
     the merger of programs or changes to the National 
     Intelligence Program budget at or below the Expenditure 
     Center level, provided such change is otherwise in accordance 
     with paragraphs (a)(1)-(3).
       (c) The Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary 
     of Defense may jointly, only for the purposes of achieving 
     auditable financial statements and improving fiscal 
     reporting, study and develop detailed proposals for 
     alternative financial management processes. Such study shall 
     include a comprehensive counterintelligence risk assessment 
     to ensure that none of the alternative processes will 
     adversely affect counterintelligence.
       (d) Upon development of the detailed proposals defined 
     under subsection (c), the Director of National Intelligence 
     and the Secretary of Defense shall--
       (1) provide the proposed alternatives to all affected 
     agencies;
       (2) receive certification from all affected agencies 
     attesting that the proposed alternatives will help achieve 
     auditability, improve fiscal reporting, and will not 
     adversely affect counterintelligence; and
       (3) not later than 30 days after receiving all necessary 
     certifications under paragraph (2), present the proposed 
     alternatives and certifications to the congressional defense 
     and intelligence committees.
       (e) This section shall not be construed to alter or affect 
     the application of section 1623 of the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 to the amounts made 
     available by this Act.
       Sec. 8067.  In addition to amounts provided elsewhere in 
     this Act, $5,000,000 is hereby appropriated to the Department 
     of Defense, to remain available for obligation until 
     expended: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision 
     of law, that upon the determination of the Secretary of 
     Defense that it shall serve the national interest, these 
     funds shall be available only for a grant to the Fisher House 
     Foundation, Inc., only for the construction and furnishing of 
     additional Fisher Houses to meet the needs of military family 
     members when confronted with the illness or hospitalization 
     of an eligible military beneficiary.

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8068.  Of the amounts appropriated in this Act under 
     the headings ``Procurement, Defense-Wide'' and ``Research, 
     Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide'', 
     $487,595,000 shall be for the Israeli Cooperative Programs: 
     Provided, That of this amount, $55,000,000 shall be for the 
     Secretary of Defense to provide to the Government of Israel 
     for the procurement of the Iron Dome defense system to 
     counter short-range rocket threats, subject to the U.S.-
     Israel Iron Dome Procurement Agreement, as amended; 
     $286,526,000 shall be for the Short Range Ballistic Missile 
     Defense (SRBMD) program, including cruise missile defense 
     research and development under the SRBMD program, of which 
     $15,000,000 shall be for production activities of SRBMD 
     missiles in the United States and in Israel to meet Israel's 
     defense requirements consistent with each nation's laws, 
     regulations, and procedures; $89,550,000 shall be for an 
     upper-tier component to the Israeli Missile Defense 
     Architecture; and $56,519,000 shall be for the Arrow System 
     Improvement Program including development of a long range, 
     ground and airborne, detection suite: Provided further, That 
     funds made available under this provision for production of 
     missiles and missile components may be transferred to 
     appropriations available for the procurement of weapons and 
     equipment, to be merged with and to be available for the same 
     time period and the same purposes as the appropriation to 
     which transferred: Provided further, That the transfer 
     authority provided under this provision is in addition to any 
     other transfer authority contained in this Act.

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8069.  Of the amounts appropriated in this Act under 
     the heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy'', 
     $389,305,000 shall be available until September 30, 2016, to 
     fund prior year shipbuilding cost increases: Provided, That 
     upon enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall 
     transfer funds to the following appropriations in the amounts 
     specified: Provided further, That the amounts

[[Page 9210]]

     transferred shall be merged with and be available for the 
     same purposes as the appropriations to which transferred to:
       (1) Under the heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, 
     Navy'', 2008/2016: Carrier Replacement Program $123,760,000;
       (2) Under the heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, 
     Navy'', 2009/2016: LPD-17 Amphibious Transport Dock Program 
     $22,860,000;
       (3) Under the heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, 
     Navy'', 2012/2016: CVN Refueling Overhauls Program 
     $20,029,000;
       (4) Under the heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, 
     Navy'', 2012/2016: DDG-51 Destroyer $75,014,000;
       (5) Under the heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, 
     Navy'', 2012/2016: Littoral Combat Ship $82,674,000;
       (6) Under the heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, 
     Navy'', 2012/2016: Amphibious Transport Dock Program 
     $38,733,000;
       (7) Under the heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, 
     Navy'', 2012/2016: Joint High Speed Vessel $22,597,000; and
       (8) Under the heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, 
     Navy'', 2013/2016: Joint High Speed Vessel $3,638,000.
       Sec. 8070.  Funds appropriated by this Act, or made 
     available by the transfer of funds in this Act, for 
     intelligence activities are deemed to be specifically 
     authorized by the Congress for purposes of section 504 of the 
     National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3094) during fiscal 
     year 2016 until the enactment of the Intelligence 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016.
       Sec. 8071.  None of the funds provided in this Act shall be 
     available for obligation or expenditure through a 
     reprogramming of funds that creates or initiates a new 
     program, project, or activity unless such program, project, 
     or activity must be undertaken immediately in the interest of 
     national security and only after written prior notification 
     to the congressional defense committees.
       Sec. 8072.  The budget of the President for fiscal year 
     2017 submitted to the Congress pursuant to section 1105 of 
     title 31, United States Code, shall include separate budget 
     justification documents for costs of United States Armed 
     Forces' participation in contingency operations for the 
     Military Personnel accounts, the Operation and Maintenance 
     accounts, the Procurement accounts, and the Research, 
     Development, Test and Evaluation accounts: Provided, That 
     these documents shall include a description of the funding 
     requested for each contingency operation, for each military 
     service, to include all Active and Reserve components, and 
     for each appropriations account: Provided further, That these 
     documents shall include estimated costs for each element of 
     expense or object class, a reconciliation of increases and 
     decreases for each contingency operation, and programmatic 
     data including, but not limited to, troop strength for each 
     Active and Reserve component, and estimates of the major 
     weapons systems deployed in support of each contingency: 
     Provided further, That these documents shall include budget 
     exhibits OP-5 and OP-32 (as defined in the Department of 
     Defense Financial Management Regulation) for all contingency 
     operations for the budget year and the two preceding fiscal 
     years.
       Sec. 8073.  None of the funds in this Act may be used for 
     research, development, test, evaluation, procurement or 
     deployment of nuclear armed interceptors of a missile defense 
     system.
       Sec. 8074.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     Act, to reflect savings due to favorable foreign exchange 
     rates, the total amount appropriated in this Act is hereby 
     reduced by $1,152,206,000.
       Sec. 8075.  None of the funds appropriated or made 
     available in this Act shall be used to reduce or disestablish 
     the operation of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of 
     the Air Force Reserve, if such action would reduce the WC-130 
     Weather Reconnaissance mission below the levels funded in 
     this Act: Provided, That the Air Force shall allow the 53rd 
     Weather Reconnaissance Squadron to perform other missions in 
     support of national defense requirements during the non-
     hurricane season.
       Sec. 8076.  None of the funds provided in this Act shall be 
     available for integration of foreign intelligence information 
     unless the information has been lawfully collected and 
     processed during the conduct of authorized foreign 
     intelligence activities: Provided, That information 
     pertaining to United States persons shall only be handled in 
     accordance with protections provided in the Fourth Amendment 
     of the United States Constitution as implemented through 
     Executive Order No. 12333.
       Sec. 8077. (a) At the time members of reserve components of 
     the Armed Forces are called or ordered to active duty under 
     section 12302(a) of title 10, United States Code, each member 
     shall be notified in writing of the expected period during 
     which the member will be mobilized.
       (b) The Secretary of Defense may waive the requirements of 
     subsection (a) in any case in which the Secretary determines 
     that it is necessary to do so to respond to a national 
     security emergency or to meet dire operational requirements 
     of the Armed Forces.
       Sec. 8078. (a) None of the funds appropriated by this Act 
     may be used to transfer research and development, 
     acquisition, or other program authority relating to current 
     tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (TUAVs) from the Army.
       (b) The Army shall retain responsibility for and 
     operational control of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aerial 
     Vehicle (UAV) in order to support the Secretary of Defense in 
     matters relating to the employment of unmanned aerial 
     vehicles.
       Sec. 8079.  Up to $15,000,000 of the funds appropriated 
     under the heading ``Operation and Maintenance, Navy'' may be 
     made available for the Asia Pacific Regional Initiative 
     Program for the purpose of enabling the Pacific Command to 
     execute Theater Security Cooperation activities such as 
     humanitarian assistance, and payment of incremental and 
     personnel costs of training and exercising with foreign 
     security forces: Provided, That funds made available for this 
     purpose may be used, notwithstanding any other funding 
     authorities for humanitarian assistance, security assistance 
     or combined exercise expenses: Provided further, That funds 
     may not be obligated to provide assistance to any foreign 
     country that is otherwise prohibited from receiving such type 
     of assistance under any other provision of law.
       Sec. 8080.  None of the funds appropriated by this Act for 
     programs of the Office of the Director of National 
     Intelligence shall remain available for obligation beyond the 
     current fiscal year, except for funds appropriated for 
     research and technology, which shall remain available until 
     September 30, 2017.
       Sec. 8081.  For purposes of section 1553(b) of title 31, 
     United States Code, any subdivision of appropriations made in 
     this Act under the heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, 
     Navy'' shall be considered to be for the same purpose as any 
     subdivision under the heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, 
     Navy'' appropriations in any prior fiscal year, and the 1 
     percent limitation shall apply to the total amount of the 
     appropriation.
       Sec. 8082. (a) Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence 
     shall submit a report to the congressional intelligence 
     committees to establish the baseline for application of 
     reprogramming and transfer authorities for fiscal year 2016: 
     Provided, That the report shall include--
       (1) a table for each appropriation with a separate column 
     to display the President's budget request, adjustments made 
     by Congress, adjustments due to enacted rescissions, if 
     appropriate, and the fiscal year enacted level;
       (2) a delineation in the table for each appropriation by 
     Expenditure Center and project; and
       (3) an identification of items of special congressional 
     interest.
       (b) None of the funds provided for the National 
     Intelligence Program in this Act shall be available for 
     reprogramming or transfer until the report identified in 
     subsection (a) is submitted to the congressional intelligence 
     committees, unless the Director of National Intelligence 
     certifies in writing to the congressional intelligence 
     committees that such reprogramming or transfer is necessary 
     as an emergency requirement.
       Sec. 8083.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used to eliminate, restructure, or realign Army 
     Contracting Command-New Jersey or make disproportionate 
     personnel reductions at any Army Contracting Command-New 
     Jersey sites without 30-day prior notification to the 
     congressional defense committees.
       Sec. 8084.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     for excess defense articles, assistance under section 1206 of 
     the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 
     (Public Law 109-163; 119 Stat. 3456), or peacekeeping 
     operations for the countries designated annually to be in 
     violation of the standards of the Child Soldiers Prevention 
     Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-457; 22 U.S.C. 2370c-1) may be 
     used to support any military training or operation that 
     includes child soldiers, as defined by the Child Soldiers 
     Prevention Act of 2008, unless such assistance is otherwise 
     permitted under section 404 of the Child Soldiers Prevention 
     Act of 2008.

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8085.  Of the funds appropriated in the Intelligence 
     Community Management Account for the Program Manager for the 
     Information Sharing Environment, $20,000,000 is available for 
     transfer by the Director of National Intelligence to other 
     departments and agencies for purposes of Government-wide 
     information sharing activities: Provided, That funds 
     transferred under this provision are to be merged with and 
     available for the same purposes and time period as the 
     appropriation to which transferred: Provided further, That 
     the Office of Management and Budget must approve any 
     transfers made under this provision.
       Sec. 8086. (a) None of the funds provided for the National 
     Intelligence Program in this or any prior appropriations Act 
     shall be available for obligation or expenditure through a 
     reprogramming or transfer of funds in accordance with section 
     102A(d) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 
     3024(d)) that--
       (1) creates a new start effort;
       (2) terminates a program with appropriated funding of 
     $10,000,000 or more;

[[Page 9211]]

       (3) transfers funding into or out of the National 
     Intelligence Program; or
       (4) transfers funding between appropriations, unless the 
     congressional intelligence committees are notified 30 days in 
     advance of such reprogramming of funds; this notification 
     period may be reduced for urgent national security 
     requirements.
       (b) None of the funds provided for the National 
     Intelligence Program in this or any prior appropriations Act 
     shall be available for obligation or expenditure through a 
     reprogramming or transfer of funds in accordance with section 
     102A(d) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 
     3024(d)) that results in a cumulative increase or decrease of 
     the levels specified in the classified annex accompanying the 
     Act unless the congressional intelligence committees are 
     notified 30 days in advance of such reprogramming of funds; 
     this notification period may be reduced for urgent national 
     security requirements.
       Sec. 8087.  The Director of National Intelligence shall 
     submit to Congress each year, at or about the time that the 
     President's budget is submitted to Congress that year under 
     section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, a future-
     years intelligence program (including associated annexes) 
     reflecting the estimated expenditures and proposed 
     appropriations included in that budget. Any such future-years 
     intelligence program shall cover the fiscal year with respect 
     to which the budget is submitted and at least the four 
     succeeding fiscal years.
       Sec. 8088.  For the purposes of this Act, the term 
     ``congressional intelligence committees'' means the Permanent 
     Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
     Representatives, the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
     Senate, the Subcommittee on Defense of the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives, and the 
     Subcommittee on Defense of the Committee on Appropriations of 
     the Senate.
       Sec. 8089.  The Department of Defense shall continue to 
     report incremental contingency operations costs for Operation 
     Inherent Resolve, Operation Freedom's Sentinel, and any named 
     successor operations, on a monthly basis and any other 
     operation designated and identified by the Secretary of 
     Defense for the purposes of section 127a of title 10, United 
     States Code, on a semi-annual basis in the Cost of War 
     Execution Report as prescribed in the Department of Defense 
     Financial Management Regulation Department of Defense 
     Instruction 7000.14, Volume 12, Chapter 23 ``Contingency 
     Operations'', Annex 1, dated September 2005.

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8090.  During the current fiscal year, not to exceed 
     $11,000,000 from each of the appropriations made in title II 
     of this Act for ``Operation and Maintenance, Army'', 
     ``Operation and Maintenance, Navy'', and ``Operation and 
     Maintenance, Air Force'' may be transferred by the military 
     department concerned to its central fund established for 
     Fisher Houses and Suites pursuant to section 2493(d) of title 
     10, United States Code.

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8091.  Funds appropriated by this Act may be available 
     for the purpose of making remittances and transfers to the 
     Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Fund in accordance 
     with section 1705 of title 10, United States Code.
       Sec. 8092. (a) Any agency receiving funds made available in 
     this Act, shall, subject to subsections (b) and (c), post on 
     the public Web site of that agency any report required to be 
     submitted by the Congress in this or any other Act, upon the 
     determination by the head of the agency that it shall serve 
     the national interest.
       (b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to a report if--
       (1) the public posting of the report compromises national 
     security; or
       (2) the report contains proprietary information.
       (c) The head of the agency posting such report shall do so 
     only after such report has been made available to the 
     requesting Committee or Committees of Congress for no less 
     than 45 days.
       Sec. 8093. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
     made available by this Act may be expended for any Federal 
     contract for an amount in excess of $1,000,000, unless the 
     contractor agrees not to--
       (1) enter into any agreement with any of its employees or 
     independent contractors that requires, as a condition of 
     employment, that the employee or independent contractor agree 
     to resolve through arbitration any claim under title VII of 
     the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or any tort related to or 
     arising out of sexual assault or harassment, including 
     assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional 
     distress, false imprisonment, or negligent hiring, 
     supervision, or retention; or
       (2) take any action to enforce any provision of an existing 
     agreement with an employee or independent contractor that 
     mandates that the employee or independent contractor resolve 
     through arbitration any claim under title VII of the Civil 
     Rights Act of 1964 or any tort related to or arising out of 
     sexual assault or harassment, including assault and battery, 
     intentional infliction of emotional distress, false 
     imprisonment, or negligent hiring, supervision, or retention.
       (b) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act may be expended for any Federal 
     contract unless the contractor certifies that it requires 
     each covered subcontractor to agree not to enter into, and 
     not to take any action to enforce any provision of, any 
     agreement as described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of 
     subsection (a), with respect to any employee or independent 
     contractor performing work related to such subcontract. For 
     purposes of this subsection, a ``covered subcontractor'' is 
     an entity that has a subcontract in excess of $1,000,000 on a 
     contract subject to subsection (a).
       (c) The prohibitions in this section do not apply with 
     respect to a contractor's or subcontractor's agreements with 
     employees or independent contractors that may not be enforced 
     in a court of the United States.
       (d) The Secretary of Defense may waive the application of 
     subsection (a) or (b) to a particular contractor or 
     subcontractor for the purposes of a particular contract or 
     subcontract if the Secretary or the Deputy Secretary 
     personally determines that the waiver is necessary to avoid 
     harm to national security interests of the United States, and 
     that the term of the contract or subcontract is not longer 
     than necessary to avoid such harm. The determination shall 
     set forth with specificity the grounds for the waiver and for 
     the contract or subcontract term selected, and shall state 
     any alternatives considered in lieu of a waiver and the 
     reasons each such alternative would not avoid harm to 
     national security interests of the United States. The 
     Secretary of Defense shall transmit to Congress, and 
     simultaneously make public, any determination under this 
     subsection not less than 15 business days before the contract 
     or subcontract addressed in the determination may be awarded.

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8094.  From within the funds appropriated for 
     operation and maintenance for the Defense Health Program in 
     this Act, up to $121,000,000, shall be available for transfer 
     to the Joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans 
     Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund in accordance 
     with the provisions of section 1704 of the National Defense 
     Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, Public Law 111-84: 
     Provided, That for purposes of section 1704(b), the facility 
     operations funded are operations of the integrated Captain 
     James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, consisting of the 
     North Chicago Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the Navy 
     Ambulatory Care Center, and supporting facilities designated 
     as a combined Federal medical facility as described by 
     section 706 of Public Law 110-417: Provided further, That 
     additional funds may be transferred from funds appropriated 
     for operation and maintenance for the Defense Health Program 
     to the Joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans 
     Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund upon written 
     notification by the Secretary of Defense to the Committees on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
     Senate.
       Sec. 8095.  The Office of the Director of National 
     Intelligence shall not employ more senior executive employees 
     than are specified in the classified annex.
       Sec. 8096.  Appropriations available to the Department of 
     Defense may be used for the purchase of heavy and light 
     armored vehicles for the physical security of personnel or 
     for force protection purposes up to a limit of $450,000 per 
     vehicle, notwithstanding price or other limitations 
     applicable to the purchase of passenger carrying vehicles.
       Sec. 8097.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
     made available by this Act or any other Act may be used by 
     the Department of Defense or a component thereof in 
     contravention of sections 1661, 1662, or 1663 of the National 
     Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016.
       Sec. 8098.  The Secretary of Defense shall report quarterly 
     the numbers of civilian personnel end strength by 
     appropriation account for each and every appropriation 
     account used to finance Federal civilian personnel salaries 
     to the congressional defense committees within 15 days after 
     the end of each fiscal quarter.

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8099.  Upon a determination by the Director of 
     National Intelligence that such action is necessary and in 
     the national interest, the Director may, with the approval of 
     the Office of Management and Budget, transfer not to exceed 
     $1,000,000,000 of the funds made available in this Act for 
     the National Intelligence Program: Provided, That such 
     authority to transfer may not be used unless for higher 
     priority items, based on unforeseen intelligence 
     requirements, than those for which originally appropriated 
     and in no case where the item for which funds are requested 
     has been denied by the Congress: Provided further, That a 
     request for multiple reprogrammings of funds using authority 
     provided in this section shall be made prior to June 30, 
     2016.
       Sec. 8100.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
     made available in this or any other Act may be used to 
     transfer, release, or assist in the transfer or release to or 
     within the United States, its territories, or possessions 
     Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or any other detainee who--
       (1) is not a United States citizen or a member of the Armed 
     Forces of the United States; and

[[Page 9212]]

       (2) is or was held on or after June 24, 2009, at United 
     States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by the Department 
     of Defense.

                              {time}  1930


                   Amendment Offered by Mr. Visclosky

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Hardy). The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Strike section 8100.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Indiana and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, the amendment that I have offered deals 
with the detainees at Guantanamo Bay. I would suggest to my colleagues 
that the continued operation of the facility at Guantanamo Bay reduces 
our Nation's credibility and weakens our national security by providing 
terrorist organizations with recruitment material.
  I do regret that the bill and other relevant appropriations acts 
continue this or any attempts to close Guantanamo by prohibiting viable 
alternatives. Also, as we are debating an appropriation bill, and this 
committee has to pay for things, I think it is appropriate to discuss 
the cost of the detention facility at Guantanamo. We are now spending 
approximately $2.7 million annually per inmate, which is about 35 times 
the cost per inmate in a supermaximum Federal prison in the United 
States.
  The United States Government has transferred approximately 620 
detainees from Guantanamo since May of 2002, with 532 transfers 
occurring during President Bush's administration and slightly in excess 
of 88 transfers occurring during the current administration.
  Nearly 500 defendants charged with crimes related to international 
terrorism have been--and I would emphasize this to my colleagues--
successfully convicted in the United States since 2001. It includes one 
former GTMO detainee who was tried in New York City, the Times Square 
bomber; Richard Reid, the shoe bomber; and others. All of them are 
incarcerated in our Federal prisons throughout the United States, and 
there have been no security incidents. Further, there are six Defense 
Department facilities where Guantanamo Bay detainees could be held in 
the United States that are currently only at 48 percent of their end 
capacity.
  I would ask my colleagues to adopt this amendment so we could move 
forward.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. 
Wittman), who is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence.
  Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment. 
These important provisions that are already included in the law have 
been included in the past several appropriations bills for several 
years running, and there is a reason that they are there. This wording 
represents a strong and enduring consensus in Congress that Guantanamo 
should remain open and that detainees should not be transferred to the 
United States for any reason. This is debated back and forth in 
agreement on both sides of the aisle.
  Striking these provisions would have unknown consequences for a 
number of U.S. communities, and it is impossible for any of us to know 
how many detainees might be brought there, where they might be held, 
and the impacts on communities and facilities that are holding them. It 
is also impossible to know what the cost might be, so we are asking for 
this unknown to be pursued without knowing the risks or knowing the 
costs.
  Putting detainees in U.S. prisons, as the administration originally 
proposed, would be disruptive and potentially disastrous. We know 
former FBI Director Mueller had stated: To transfer detainees to local 
jails could affect or infect other prisoners or have the capability of 
affecting events outside the prison system.
  The last thing we need today in the face of ISIS is to convert more 
folks to extremism. The idea of bringing detainees for trials in the 
United States quickly collapsed as local jurisdictions voiced their 
strong opposition. We heard that across the United States.
  As everyone here is aware, several detainees that have been released 
from Guantanamo have gone back to the fight and killed and wounded 
Americans. The threat is real, and Guantanamo is already equipped to 
handle the detention and military trial of these individuals as 
appropriate. Any proposal that results in these detainees being sent to 
the United States for any reason is simply the wrong policy. We have 
tread this ground time and time and time again.
  I therefore oppose the amendment and urge my colleagues to vote 
against this amendment.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Reclaiming my time, let me thank the gentleman for 
his comments, and may I add emphasis to what he said.
  The thought that people that have been released from Guantanamo have 
gone back to the fight and been involved in the killing of Americans in 
the Middle East is repugnant and makes all of us angry. That is 
literally what has happened. We read about it in open sources, and we 
can speculate because I think sometimes these things are not reported, 
that a lot of these people that have been released have gone back and 
actually headed up efforts to ambush our soldiers and kill our soldiers 
and seek vengeance. In reality, I am glad these people continue to be 
locked away.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chair, I would simply say that the gentleman from 
Virginia noted that there is supposition and unknown in the future, and 
that is certainly correct. What is known is that we are a nation of 
laws, and our military protects this country so that we can continue to 
be governed by those laws. I, for one, happen to think that the 
indefinite detention of any human being without a trial is violative of 
those laws, and that that is a foundational principle of our Nation, 
and we ought to conduct ourselves accordingly. I would ask my 
colleagues to support the amendment.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Indiana will 
be postponed.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Sec. 8101. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
     made available in this or any other Act may be used to 
     construct, acquire, or modify any facility in the United 
     States, its territories, or possessions to house any 
     individual described in subsection (c) for the purposes of 
     detention or imprisonment in the custody or under the 
     effective control of the Department of Defense.
       (b) The prohibition in subsection (a) shall not apply to 
     any modification of facilities at United States Naval 
     Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
       (c) An individual described in this subsection is any 
     individual who, as of June 24, 2009, is located at United 
     States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and who--
       (1) is not a citizen of the United States or a member of 
     the Armed Forces of the United States; and
       (2) is--
       (A) in the custody or under the effective control of the 
     Department of Defense; or
       (B) otherwise under detention at United States Naval 
     Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Nadler

  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Strike section 8101.


[[Page 9213]]


  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from New York and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. NADLER. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment which would strike the 
section of the bill restricting the use of funds for building and 
modifying facilities in the United States to house prisoners presently 
at Guantanamo Bay.
  The argument for why we should strike this section is 
straightforward. The detainees at Guantanamo Bay must be brought to 
justice. Those who are guilty of terrorism need to be tried and 
punished in a swift and judicious manner. Any detainee who is innocent 
should, with equal speed and sincerity, be released.
  Two cases exemplify this argument and underline the importance of 
this amendment. The first is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind 
behind the attack on the United States on 9/11. Since 2006, Mr. 
Mohammed has been detained at Guantanamo, where he has yet to be tried, 
convicted, or appropriately punished for his heinous actions. Justice 
for the victims, for the families who lost loved ones at the World 
Trade Center, at the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania must be carried out. 
So far, this has not happened.
  At the same time, while they haven't managed to try and convict 
anyone at Guantanamo, more than 400 terrorists, including the 9/11 
conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, have been tried, convicted, and 
sentenced in the Federal courts in the United States without incident 
and in a manner befitting the American justice system. No convicted 
terrorist has ever escaped from a U.S. prison, and no prison has ever 
been compromised or been subject to an attack because of the dangerous 
persons being held within.
  The second case I want to mention is of Mr. Shaker Aamer, which came 
to my attention in a recent New York Times editorial or op-ed piece 
authored by a bipartisan group of British members of Parliament. In 
November 2001, Mr. Aamer, a British permanent resident, was doing 
charity work in Afghanistan when he was picked up by the Northern 
Alliance, sold to Americans for a bounty, and taken to Bagram prison 
before being moved to Guantanamo in February 2002. He was cleared for 
release by President Bush in 2007 and cleared again by President Obama 
in 2010. Six different U.S. agencies agreed, including the CIA, the 
FBI, the Departments of State and Defense, while Prime Minister David 
Cameron and the House of Commons unanimously have called for Mr. 
Aamer's immediate release and transfer to Britain.

                              {time}  1945

  So far, this has not happened. Mr. Aamer has never been charged with 
anything and has twice been cleared for transfer. Every American agency 
that has looked at this says that he has not been a terrorist and did 
not fight against the United States. There is no reason for him to 
remain in this custodial purgatory; yet he remains a detainee at the 
Guantanamo Bay facility.
  As long as this provision remains in the bill, people like Mr. Aamer, 
guilty of nothing--not terrorists, not fighters against the United 
States--will be unjustly imprisoned, and people like Khalid Sheikh 
Mohammed who are guilty--probably, we think--of terrorism will not be 
tried.
  For too long, the terrible people in Guantanamo have avoided facing 
the consequences of answering to a U.S. court for their horrendous 
actions, while innocent detainees are denied recourse for continuing 
their detention.
  The United States must not keep people in prison indefinitely for no 
reason, with no trial. The opponents of this amendment must not share 
my faith in America's courts to deliver justice. For hundreds of years, 
our legal system has kept Americans safe by imprisoning dangerous 
individuals while protecting those who are innocent of any charges.
  Time and time again, Federal courts have successfully proven their 
ability to convict criminals and terrorists without violating the 
rights of due process. This amendment represents a return to our 
founding principles, that no person may be deprived of liberty without 
due process of law.
  Without this amendment, we will continue to hold terrorists and 
innocents alike, indefinitely and without charge, contrary to every 
tradition this country stands for.
  We must close this facility, try these people, release the innocent, 
and restore our national honor.
  I urge support of this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Wittman).
  Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise again in opposition to this 
amendment.
  We see that today, Guantanamo is equipped to hold these detainees. 
The military tribunals there, if allowed to do so, are able to try 
these detainees. Again, they were captured under the rules of 
engagement as enemy combatants. Let's make sure that we are putting 
them in that situation to be tried as such.
  Another element, too, is localities have spoken vocally to say, No, 
we do not want these detainees here, for a variety reasons. One is they 
are worried about security there. I know the argument is, Well, the 
facilities here in the United States can hold them. That is not the 
single issue. The issue is the communities' concern about what the 
outcomes of the movement of these detainees will be here today.
  We see today radicalization across the United States from outside the 
United States by forces like ISIS. Think about the opportunity as those 
detainees are moved here and the notoriety that they will attain and 
how the press will cover it and that being used in addition to 
radicalize folks on the side of extremism. That is another issue that I 
believe needs to be addressed.
  Again, GTMO is working. It is detaining these individuals, enemy 
combatants that have been picked up on the battlefield. It has been, I 
believe, the determination of this body through extensive debate that 
we shouldn't build facilities here specifically for that purpose and 
that GTMO is well suited to do the job.
  Again, I urge my colleagues to vote in opposition to this amendment.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. The continued repetition of untruths does not make them 
true.
  Not all these people were captured on the battlefield. Mr. Aamer, 
whom I referenced, for example, was picked up doing charity work in 
Afghanistan. He was picked up by a faction of the Northern Alliance, 
which then sold him for a bounty to the United States. He was not a 
fighter. He was not on the battlefield. He was a victim of a kidnapping 
by a foreign faction.
  Everyone who has looked at this--President Bush, President Obama, the 
FBI, the CIA, the NSA, the British Parliament--agrees on the facts with 
him; yet we hear that everybody was a fighter. No, they weren't. Some 
were; probably most were.
  We are told that military tribunals will try these people. Well, Mr. 
Aamer has been in Guantanamo for 9 years. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has 
been in Guantanamo for 15 years. They can't get their act together. 
Every time they try to hold military tribunals, there is another legal 
objection. Federal courts have tried, convicted, and imprisoned 400 
terrorists.
  We have to do justice. Keeping people in jail indefinitely because we 
repeat that they were caught on the battlefield, when some were not, 
hoping for a military tribunal that doesn't occur, is not American. It 
is un-American.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.

[[Page 9214]]


  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from New York 
will be postponed.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Sec. 8102.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
     made available in this Act may be used to transfer any 
     individual detained at United States Naval Station Guantanamo 
     Bay, Cuba, to the custody or control of the individual's 
     country of origin, any other foreign country, or any other 
     foreign entity except in accordance with section 1035 of the 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Nadler

  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Strike section 8102.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from New York and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, this is the third of the three amendments that have the 
same purpose. This one would strike the section of the bill that makes 
it more difficult to transfer Guantanamo detainees to other countries.
  I find it surrealistic. We have now debated two amendments tonight, 
and all we hear in opposition are repeated statements that everyone at 
Guantanamo is a terrorist--not true--and that everyone in Guantanamo is 
picked up on the foreign battlefield, fighting--not true. It is 
demonstrably not true.
  These are not debatable propositions. Some of the people in 
Guantanamo are terrorists. Some of the people in Guantanamo are picked 
up on the battlefield. Some were not.
  I gave you the example of Mr. Aamer, who was picked up by a foreign 
faction in the Northern Alliance and sold for a bounty because the 
United States offered a bounty for people who someone claimed was a 
terrorist. Everyone looked into it and said he wasn't a terrorist, he 
wasn't a combatant; yet he stays in Guantanamo.
  It costs us $3 million per prisoner, per year. There are communities 
in the United States which can handle these trials. I can think of no 
honest reason why we would not want the terrorists to be tried.
  The terrorists cannot be tried by military tribunal; let them try it, 
but the fact is they haven't been able to. They have been trying the 
military tribunals for 10 years now, and they haven't succeeded in 
convicting one person. They have had three plea bargains, no 
convictions, and no trials in the last 8 or 9 years.
  The Federal courts are functioning. Why not save money, try the 
people we think are guilty, get a guilty verdict, put them in maximum 
security prisons, and not hold people indefinitely without charge and 
without trial? That is simply un-American.
  Finally, we are engaged in an ideological war. Someone referenced 
radicalizing people. What radicalizes people more, what gives more 
evidence of the American bad faith and of anti-Islamic sentiments of 
terrible behavior than Guantanamo? It is a symbol worldwide. It is a 
radicalizing influence. Our own generals have said that nothing has 
recruited more enemy soldiers than Guantanamo.
  Let's close it, take care of the people who are there one way or the 
other, and do justice.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I yield to the distinguished gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Forbes).
  Mr. FORBES. I thank the chairman for yielding.
  The gentleman from New York raised a good question. He said:

       I can think of no honest reason why these terrorists have 
     not been prosecuted in a military tribunal.

  I can give him the answer to that. I don't know if my friend from New 
York has actually been to Guantanamo Bay, but in 2010, I went there. As 
the administration came into office, if the gentleman met with the 
prosecutor at that time, he had assembled a team that had worked for 
over 2 years trying and prosecuting the terrorists of the World Trade 
Center attack.
  That prosecutor had gone through a stack of hearings this tall that 
he had prevailed on. His life had been threatened. His team's life had 
been threatened. He told all of us, Democrats and Republicans who went 
down there, that he would have guilty pleas on all those terrorists 
within 6 months.
  To answer the gentleman as to why that didn't happen, it is because, 
when the administration came into office, they canceled that 
prosecution, took him off the case, disbanded that whole prosecution; 
and to this day, they have not allowed that prosecution to go forward.
  If you want to ask the real, honest question of why we haven't 
prosecuted them in the military tribunals--the gentleman from Virginia 
said the facilities are there, the will was there, the hearings were 
there. The reason is because this administration has refused to 
prosecute them.
  I hope we will defeat these amendments, keep those terrorists there, 
or let this administration prosecute them.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, what is really surrealistic around 
here, to use the gentleman's word, is that we spend more time on these 
Guantanamo detainees than we do on Americans locked up in Iranian 
prisons and jails--that is unconscionable--or with Americans detained 
in North Korea.
  Let's focus on liberty for some of the people in those countries that 
we are trying to work with on the nuclear deal, such as the Iranians 
holding Americans prisoners.
  You have the right to focus on these detainees. Ninety-nine percent 
of them are guilty as hell, but we seem to be doing little in the 
public way to release Americans held in prisons in various parts of the 
world.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Chairman, we all obviously want to free Americans 
unjustly held by North Korea or Iran or anybody else. I suspect the 
reason that we don't spend a lot of time on the floor is because we all 
agree. There is nothing to debate. We obviously want them freed.
  I hope our government behind the scenes is doing whatever we can to 
do it; we should do whatever we can publicly, but that has nothing to 
do with Guantanamo.
  The fact of the matter is it isn't that the administration decided 
not to prosecute people by military tribunals. That is not the case. It 
is that every time the Bush administration or the Obama administration 
tried to prosecute--and they have continued to try--another legal 
obstacle comes up. They have never worked it out.
  Appeal after appeal has shut the process down. I should say judicial 
decision after judicial decision as a result of appeal after appeal has 
shut the process down because they haven't managed to find a military 
tribunal procedure that gives enough constitutional rights to pass 
judicial muster, but is short of a Federal article III court. That is 
why 400 terrorists have been convicted in article III Federal courts--
and no terrorists--let them be tried properly, and let the innocent be 
freed.
  We can't simply stand here and say they are all guilty. How do we 
know that? How do we know that every single one of them is guilty? We 
know that some are not. By what right do we hold those who are guilty 
of nothing forever? It is a blot on American justice; it is a blot on 
our country's representation, and we should stop it.
  I urge adoption of the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.

[[Page 9215]]


  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from New York 
will be postponed.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Sec. 8103.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used in contravention of the War Powers Resolution (50 
     U.S.C. 1541 et seq.).
       Sec. 8104.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used by the Department of Defense or any other Federal 
     agency to lease or purchase new light duty vehicles, for any 
     executive fleet, or for any agency's fleet inventory, except 
     in accordance with Presidential Memorandum-Federal Fleet 
     Performance, dated May 24, 2011.
       Sec. 8105. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
     made available by this or any other Act may be used by the 
     Secretary of Defense, or any other official or officer of the 
     Department of Defense, to enter into a contract, memorandum 
     of understanding, or cooperative agreement with, or make a 
     grant to, or provide a loan or loan guarantee to 
     Rosoboronexport or any subsidiary of Rosoboronexport.
       (b) The Secretary of Defense may waive the limitation in 
     subsection (a) if the Secretary, in consultation with the 
     Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence, 
     determines that it is in the vital national security interest 
     of the United States to do so, and certifies in writing to 
     the congressional defense committees that, to the best of the 
     Secretary's knowledge:
       (1) Rosoboronexport has ceased the transfer of lethal 
     military equipment to, and the maintenance of existing lethal 
     military equipment for, the Government of the Syrian Arab 
     Republic;
       (2) the armed forces of the Russian Federation have 
     withdrawn from Crimea, other than armed forces present on 
     military bases subject to agreements in force between the 
     Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of 
     Ukraine; and
       (3) agents of the Russian Federation have ceased taking 
     active measures to destabilize the control of the Government 
     of Ukraine over eastern Ukraine.
       (c) The Inspector General of the Department of Defense 
     shall conduct a review of any action involving 
     Rosoboronexport with respect to a waiver issued by the 
     Secretary of Defense pursuant to subsection (b), and not 
     later than 90 days after the date on which such a waiver is 
     issued by the Secretary of Defense, the Inspector General 
     shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report 
     containing the results of the review conducted with respect 
     to such waiver.
       Sec. 8106.  None of the funds made available in this Act 
     may be used for the purchase or manufacture of a flag of the 
     United States unless such flags are treated as covered items 
     under section 2533a(b) of title 10, United States Code.
       Sec. 8107.  None of the funds appropriated in this or any 
     other Act may be obligated or expended by the United States 
     Government for the direct personal benefit of the President 
     of Afghanistan.
       Sec. 8108. (a) Of the funds appropriated in this Act for 
     the Department of Defense, amounts may be made available, 
     under such regulations as the Secretary of Defense may 
     prescribe, to local military commanders appointed by the 
     Secretary, or by an officer or employee designated by the 
     Secretary, to provide at their discretion ex gratia payments 
     in amounts consistent with subsection (d) of this section for 
     damage, personal injury, or death that is incident to combat 
     operations of the Armed Forces in a foreign country.
       (b) An ex gratia payment under this section may be provided 
     only if--
       (1) the prospective foreign civilian recipient is 
     determined by the local military commander to be friendly to 
     the United States;
       (2) a claim for damages would not be compensable under 
     chapter 163 of title 10, United States Code (commonly known 
     as the ``Foreign Claims Act''); and
       (3) the property damage, personal injury, or death was not 
     caused by action by an enemy.
       (c) Nature of Payments.--Any payments provided under a 
     program under subsection (a) shall not be considered an 
     admission or acknowledgement of any legal obligation to 
     compensate for any damage, personal injury, or death.
       (d) Amount of Payments.--If the Secretary of Defense 
     determines a program under subsection (a) to be appropriate 
     in a particular setting, the amounts of payments, if any, to 
     be provided to civilians determined to have suffered harm 
     incident to combat operations of the Armed Forces under the 
     program should be determined pursuant to regulations 
     prescribed by the Secretary and based on an assessment, which 
     should include such factors as cultural appropriateness and 
     prevailing economic conditions.
       (e) Legal Advice.--Local military commanders shall receive 
     legal advice before making ex gratia payments under this 
     subsection. The legal advisor, under regulations of the 
     Department of Defense, shall advise on whether an ex gratia 
     payment is proper under this section and applicable 
     Department of Defense regulations.
       (f) Written Record.--A written record of any ex gratia 
     payment offered or denied shall be kept by the local 
     commander and on a timely basis submitted to the appropriate 
     office in the Department of Defense as determined by the 
     Secretary of Defense.
       (g) Report.--The Secretary of Defense shall report to the 
     congressional defense committees on an annual basis the 
     efficacy of the ex gratia payment program including the 
     number of types of cases considered, amounts offered, the 
     response from ex gratia payment recipients, and any 
     recommended modifications to the program.
       (h) Limitation.--Nothing in this section shall be deemed to 
     provide any new authority to the Secretary of Defense.
       Sec. 8109.  None of the funds available in this Act to the 
     Department of Defense, other than appropriations made for 
     necessary or routine refurbishments, upgrades or maintenance 
     activities, shall be used to reduce or to prepare to reduce 
     the number of deployed and non-deployed strategic delivery 
     vehicles and launchers below the levels set forth in the 
     report submitted to Congress in accordance with section 1042 
     of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
     2012.
       Sec. 8110.  The Secretary of Defense shall post grant 
     awards on a public Web site in a searchable format.
       Sec. 8111.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used to realign forces at Lajes Air Force Base, 
     Azores, Portugal, until the Secretary of Defense certifies to 
     the congressional defense committees that the Secretary of 
     Defense has determined, based on an analysis of operational 
     requirements, that Lajes Air Force Base is not an optimal 
     location for the Joint Intelligence Analysis Complex.
       Sec. 8112.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used to fund the performance of a flight demonstration 
     team at a location outside of the United States: Provided, 
     That this prohibition applies only if a performance of a 
     flight demonstration team at a location within the United 
     States was canceled during the current fiscal year due to 
     insufficient funding.
       Sec. 8113.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used by the National Security Agency to--
       (1) conduct an acquisition pursuant to section 702 of the 
     Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 for the purpose 
     of targeting a United States person; or
       (2) acquire, monitor, or store the contents (as such term 
     is defined in section 2510(8) of title 18, United States 
     Code) of any electronic communication of a United States 
     person from a provider of electronic communication services 
     to the public pursuant to section 501 of the Foreign 
     Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978.

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8114.  In addition to amounts provided elsewhere in 
     this Act for basic allowance for housing for military 
     personnel, including active duty, reserve and National Guard 
     personnel, $400,000,000 is hereby appropriated to the 
     Department of Defense and made available for transfer only to 
     military personnel accounts: Provided, That the transfer 
     authority provided under this heading is in addition to any 
     other transfer authority provided elsewhere in this Act.
       Sec. 8115.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be obligated or expended to implement the Arms Trade 
     Treaty until the Senate approves a resolution of ratification 
     for the Treaty.
       Sec. 8116.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used to transfer or divest AH-64 Apache helicopters 
     from the Army National Guard to the active Army in fiscal 
     year 2016: Provided, That the Secretary of the Army shall 
     ensure the continuing readiness of the AH-64 Apache aircraft 
     and ensure the training of the crews of such aircraft during 
     fiscal year 2016, including the allocation of funds for 
     operation and maintenance and personnel connected with such 
     aircraft: Provided further, That this section shall continue 
     in effect through the date of enactment of the National 
     Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016.

                              {time}  2000


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Rothfus

  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 115, line 2, strike ``in fiscal year 2016'' and insert 
     ``prior to June 30, 2016''.
       Page 115, beginning line 7, strike the proviso.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Chairman, since its establishment, the National 
Guard has answered the call to defend our Nation and respond in times 
of crises.

[[Page 9216]]

They have fought bravely with the Active Component, while continuing to 
achieve their mission here at home.
  At the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, nearly 50 percent 
of the Army's total force was a mix of Reservists and members of the 
National Guard. The Pennsylvania National Guard alone contributed more 
than 42,000 individual deployments.
  Unfortunately, the Army's Aviation Restructuring Initiative, or ARI, 
will have devastating impacts on all that the National Guard has 
achieved. ARI will result in the transfer of all National Guard Apache 
helicopters to the Active Component, leaving the National Guard less 
combat-ready.
  It will also deprive our Nation of an operational reserve for these 
aircraft, which is essential to the retention of talented aircrews. ARI 
represents a fundamental shift in the nature and role of the National 
Guard.
  Last year, Congress wisely created the National Commission on the 
Future of the Army to offer a deliberate approach to addressing force 
structure issues such as ARI. Yet, as it stands now, many of these 
transfers will be long done before the Commission has examined the 
proposal and reported its recommendations.
  Mr. Chairman, once these transfers begin, it will be all but 
impossible to reverse them. We need to allow the Commission time to do 
its work before the Army takes any harmful and irreversible actions.
  In the fiscal year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, the House 
adopted an amendment to delay some Apache transfers until June 30, 
2016. This amendment extends that responsible limitation to all 
National Guard Apaches, while also taking important steps to ensure 
continued readiness of the Apache fleet.
  Together, these provisions strike a proper balance between 
safeguarding our national security and preventing any premature Apache 
transfers. Only this can truly ensure that the irreparable harm is not 
done to the National Guard.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Indiana is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I have a number of colleagues who want 
to speak, so I will be brief.
  But I would point out that this amendment, if adopted, will undo last 
year's compromise legislation that supported the Army's critically 
important Aviation Restructuring Initiative. Part of that compromise 
was to establish a commission to study the force structure of the 
United States Army. I believe we should await that report.
  The Army has indicated that if they are restricted under the 
gentleman's amendment, they would have to inactivate--and I would 
repeat this--they would have to inactivate one or more of the 
battalions in States such as New York, Kansas, and Hawaii, as well as 
drastically reduce the work going on into the remanufacture plant in 
2016.
  Each battalion inactivation will result in the unplanned transfer of 
approximately 500 soldiers and 1,000 family members, driven by the 
absence of the aircraft needed to train the unit.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry), my good friend, who is also an Apache pilot.
  Mr. PERRY. Mr. Chairman, I thank Mr. Rothfus for the amendment.
  Without this amendment, as he said, we will see the transfer of all 
National Guard Apache helicopters to the Active Component while, just 
last year, this Congress created the National Commission on the Future 
of the Army to deliberate this change in force, this restructuring 
issue.
  You say, why should we care? I mean, isn't this a squabble between 
one big brother and a little brother? And it kind of is.
  But we should care because the taxpayers have invested billions and 
billions of dollars over years to create the infrastructure within the 
Guard.
  But more importantly, this imposes on and weakens our national 
security because the Guard and the Reserve component is the repository 
for experience in Apache pilots.
  When you get tired of flying the Apache on deployment over and over 
again on Active Duty but want to continue to serve your country, what 
do you do? You join the Reserve component. You come to the Guard.
  And those pilots have the most experience because they have flown on 
Active Duty and they have flown in the Guard for years and years and 
years. So when they deploy, that is who you want to fly with. That is 
who units want to fly with because they have the experience.
  The operational depth is in the Guard.
  It is not that Governors need the Apache; it is that the United 
States needs the Apache. And should we transfer the Apache because the 
Army wants to pick on its little brother and can? And that is exactly 
what is happening here.
  I have heard the arguments. I have listened to all the arguments. I 
have spent 34 years in uniform. None of them make any sense, and they 
can't justify any of them. They talk big around this place in all kinds 
of acronyms that most people don't understand, but none of it is 
justified.
  I don't understand why we would do this, why we wouldn't wait just 
till February to get the report from a Commission that we sponsored, 
that we authorized in this body. Why wouldn't we wait till then?
  Why would we transfer the aircraft, and when the Commission comes 
back and says don't transfer the aircraft, oh, well, sorry, we already 
did that. Won't we look foolish.
  But more importantly, isn't this important for national security to 
have the experience there when called upon to go fight--and as the 
gentleman said, make up 50 percent of the force in the fight.
  Let's not do this for all the wrong reasons.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman 
from New York (Ms. Stefanik).
  Ms. STEFANIK. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment to 
prohibit funding for any transfer of Apaches from the National Guard to 
the Active Army.
  In committee, Chairman Wilson and I worked very closely to authorize 
a congressional review no less than 60 days following the Commission's 
report release.
  And on the House floor, as an amendment to the NDAA, Mr. Palazzo and 
I thoroughly examined and determined a fixed transfer date of Apaches 
no later than June 30.
  Mr. Chairman, this amendment is being used as a backdoor scheme and a 
delay tactic. This ploy places devastating impacts and potential 
deactivation of the Army's Combat Aviation Brigades in States like New 
York, Kansas, Hawaii, Arizona, and overall Black Hawk modernization in 
California.
  As the Representative of Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain 
Division, any delay would cause this high operational tempo unit to be 
left without an Aviation Brigade.
  Let me be abundantly clear. Any Apache delay will have grave 
consequences on our Army's readiness, deployment schedule, and our 
soldiers' dwell time. A delay would severely limit the Army's ability 
to meet expected operational requirements and place an even greater 
burden on our Nation's brave servicemembers.
  So, Mr. Chairman, where I think some may be confused I want to 
clarify. In exchange for Apaches, the National Guard is set to receive 
fully modernized Black Hawks, which are essential to lift-and-rescue 
operations and remain critical to a State's emergency response. 
Derailing, delaying, or limiting Apache transfers would, therefore, 
halt this Black Hawk modernization.
  This is merely a ploy to prevent our soldiers from receiving the 
equipment they need to protect American lives overseas, and it is 
unconscionable. I am appalled that this is even being discussed and 
will continue to fight for an ontime transfer of the Apaches from the 
National Guard to the Active Army.

[[Page 9217]]


  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time is remaining?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Pennsylvania has 1 minute 
remaining, and the gentleman from Indiana has 2 minutes remaining.
  Mr. ROTHFUS. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I only have one more speaker left, and 
it is my understanding that, as a member of the committee, I have the 
right to close.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Indiana is correct.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I reserve the balance of my time until the gentleman 
concludes his remarks.
  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Chairman, in conclusion, I would just urge my 
colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important amendment to prevent the 
premature transfer of Apaches out of the National Guard until the 
Commission has had the opportunity to do its work.
  This Congress created the National Commission for the very purpose of 
studying the impact of transfers such as Apaches out of the Guard after 
spending billions of dollars, as my colleague from Pennsylvania has 
said.
  This was an investment on the part of the taxpayers to build an 
operational reserve. We should not take this step until the Commission 
has completed its work.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure to yield my remaining 
time to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Mrs. Roby), my colleague from the 
Appropriations Committee, to close the debate.
  Mrs. ROBY. I thank the gentleman.
  I, too, rise in opposition to this amendment. I will enter into the 
Record a letter from General Odierno that I received, as well as 
others. It references the FY15 NDAA, which expressly allows for the 
transfer of Apaches with no restrictions on additional moves 
thereafter.
  And it says: ``If we are restricted from transferring any portion of 
the 72 Apaches, or must count aircraft inducted into the remanufacture 
line as part of that 72, we will have to inactivate one or more of the 
battalions in New York, Kansas, or Hawaii, as well as drastically 
reduce the work going in the remanufacture plant in 2016.''

                                       Department of the Army,

                                     Washington, DC, June 8, 2015.
     U.S. House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       We are writing to inform you that pending legislation may 
     cause great damage to the readiness of the United States 
     Army, create enormous disruption to the lives of thousands of 
     military family members, harm our industrial base, and 
     require us to send Soldiers into combat who may not be fully 
     trained. Specifically, provisions in both the House and 
     Senate versions of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 National Defense 
     Authorization Act (NDAA), and the House version of the 
     Defense Appropriations Act will, if enacted, undo last year's 
     compromise legislation that supported the Army's critically 
     important Aviation Restructuring Initiative (ARI). The 
     proposals drastically alter the statutorily permitted 
     movement of AH-64 Apache helicopters between the Army 
     National Guard (ARNG) and the Regular Army in 2016--a 
     transfer authorized in the FY15 NDAA. Accordingly, as 
     discussed below, to protect our Soldiers and their Families, 
     we request that you continue to support our comprehensive ARI 
     plan.
       The FY15 NDAA provisions were based on the following 
     factors, none of which has changed:
       The National Guard Bureau's (NGB) alternative to ARI 
     proposed the transfer of 72 AH-64 Apaches to the Regular 
     Army;
       The decision to transfer the remaining AH-64 Apaches from 
     the ARNG to the Regular Army would be resolved based on 
     recommendations by the National Commission on the Future of 
     the Army; and
       The GAO and the Office of the Secretary of Defense CAPE 
     would conduct independent reviews of both ARI and the NGB 
     alternative, both of which have since confirmed that the ARI 
     plan is less costly and provides greater warfighting capacity 
     than the NGB alternative.
       With these principles in mind, the FY15 NDAA allowed the 
     Army, with the certification of the Secretary of Defense, to 
     transfer 48 AH-64 Apaches between October 2015 and March 
     2016, with no restrictions on additional moves thereafter. 
     Nevertheless, recognizing Congressional concern, the Army 
     specifically committed to transferring no more than 24 
     additional Apaches in FY16 for a total of 72, which precisely 
     matched the number in the National Guard's alternative 
     proposal. Our FY16 plan provided Congress with time to act 
     upon the results the Commission's report (to be delivered in 
     February 2016); allowed for the normal induction of aircraft 
     into the AH-64 remanufacture line in Arizona; and preserved 
     the Army's ability to deploy trained and equipped Soldiers 
     and units into combat. We strictly adhered to FY15 NDAA and 
     made critical programmatic and operational decisions based 
     upon it.
       The key points of the Army plan for FY16, which is based on 
     the FY15 NDAA, are below:
       Transferring 24 AH-64 Apaches from the ARNG to the 25th 
     Infantry Division (ID) in Hawaii;
       Transferring 24 AH-1-64 Apaches from the ARNG to the 1st ID 
     in Kansas;
       Transferring 24 AH-64 Apaches from the ARNG to the 10th 
     Mountain Division in New York after 31 March 2016; and
       Inducting 24 ARNG and 32 Regular Army AH-64 Apaches for 
     remanufacture in Arizona.
       Should Congress now dismantle this carefully crafted plan, 
     it would not only be disruptive, but also dangerous for our 
     Soldiers. As you know, several proposed legislative changes 
     either prohibit our ability to transfer any or part of the 72 
     aircraft or require us to count airframes, which were 
     inducted into the remanufacture process in 2014, against the 
     permitted transfers in FY16. The potential impacts of these 
     provisions are stark.
       If we are restricted from transferring any portion of the 
     72 Apaches (24 in October 2015, 24 in February 2016, and 24 
     in July 2016), or must count aircraft inducted into the 
     remanufacture line as part of that 72, we will have to 
     inactivate one or more of the battalions in New York, Kansas, 
     or Hawaii, as well as drastically reduce the work going into 
     the remanufacture plant in 2016:
       Each battalion inactivation will result in the unplanned 
     transfer of approximately 500 Soldiers and 1,000 family 
     members, driven by the absence of the aircraft needed to 
     train the unit;
       Up to three Combat Aviation Brigades (CAB) of 2,500 
     Soldiers each, will become combat ineffective, because they 
     will be missing their reconnaissance units, which is half of 
     their attack capability, thus depriving the entire brigade 
     this crucial capability;
       Nearly 30% of the entire Regular Army combat aviation force 
     could be rendered ineffective, leaving only eight fully ready 
     CABs in 2016--compared to the 13 Regular Army CABs that 
     existed prior to the inactivation of two in FY15; it should 
     be noted that the ARNG has not reduced a single aircraft or 
     unit in this same time frame;
       We will not be able to meet PACOM requirements for a ``no-
     notice'' Korea warfight;
       We will have to send Soldiers into combat in Iraq and 
     Afghanistan without the proper training in Joint Combined 
     Arms maneuver from the 25th ID, 1st ID, and 10th Mountain 
     Division; additionally, the remaining Apache Battalions would 
     have to extend the amount of time they are deployed (note, 
     they are already operating at a 1:1.5 deploy to dwell ratio); 
     and
       We may have to stop inductions into the AH-64E 
     remanufacture line, because we could not, under certain 
     provisions, process 24 Apaches from the ARNG. Additionally, 
     the risk of losing 32 Regular Army AH-64's for a year, which 
     are planned for induction, without the backfill transfer of 
     the 72 Apaches from the ARNG could be too high. This stoppage 
     could jeopardize a workforce of 4,100 employees in 22 states, 
     including 2,200 in Arizona, 360 in Alabama, 350 in Florida, 
     285 in California, and lesser numbers in WA, TX, MO, IL, MS, 
     OH, WV, PA, NY, VT, NH, CT, NC, SC, and GA.
       We face an unprecedented and unpredictable global 
     environment that continues to morph in dangerous and 
     unforeseen ways. Now more than ever, we need a force that 
     provides the capabilities necessary to execute the missions 
     that we know are coming, as well as the versatility, agility 
     and depth to handle contingencies we cannot predict. An 
     absolutely critical component of our force is our aviation 
     formations, and we must be able to effectively restructure 
     them to meet current and future demands. Accordingly, we need 
     your support to ensure that the framework created by the FY15 
     NDAA remains in place. We owe this to our Soldiers, their 
     Families, our industry partners and, most importantly, the 
     American people. Simply put, delaying or derailing ARI 
     jeopardizes your Army, and our Nation's security.
       We appreciate your time and thoughtful consideration of 
     this matter.
           Sincerely,
     Raymond T. Odierno,
       General, United States Army Chief of Staff.
     John M. McHugh,
       Secretary of the Army.

  Mrs. ROBY. Look, friends and colleagues, we have heard from several 
Members about the devastating impacts that any delay in ARI would have 
on our Army.
  But let's take time to revisit why we are here in the first place. We 
are here because this Congress put the Army in the position to have to 
make these difficult decisions in the first place. We are here because 
of a thing called sequestration. And if there has ever been

[[Page 9218]]

a time for a stronger argument to revisit this so that we can properly 
fund all of our military across all branches so that they are not put 
in this box where the Army has to make these tough decisions, now is 
the time.
  We have got to properly fund the United States military. So here we 
have a letter from a highly respected Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army 
to Congress saying, If you do this, if you delay these helicopter 
transfers, you will create a domino affect that will result in the 
United States of America sending our soldiers to Afghanistan and Iraq 
who are neither fully trained or in fully equipped.
  We have to do better. We have to do better. And this is the case. 
Again, I oppose this amendment, and I call on my colleagues to revisit 
fully funding our military and repealing the sequester.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
will be postponed.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Sec. 8117.  None of the funds made available in this Act 
     may be obligated for activities authorized under section 1208 
     of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act 
     for Fiscal Year 2005 (Public Law 112-81; 125 Stat. 1621) to 
     initiate support for, or expand support to, foreign forces, 
     irregular forces, groups, or individuals unless the 
     congressional defense committees are notified in accordance 
     with the direction contained in the classified annex 
     accompanying this Act, not less than 15 days before 
     initiating such support: Provided, That none of the funds 
     made available in this Act may be used under such section 
     1208 for any activity that is not in support of an ongoing 
     military operation being conducted by United States Special 
     Operations Forces to combat terrorism:  Provided further, 
     That the Secretary of Defense may waive the prohibitions in 
     this section if the Secretary determines that such waiver is 
     required by extraordinary circumstances and, by not later 
     than 72 hours after making such waiver, notifies the 
     congressional defense committees of such waiver.
       Sec. 8118. (a) Within 90 days of enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary of Defense shall submit a report to the 
     congressional defense committees to assess whether the 
     justification and approval requirements under section 811 of 
     the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 
     (Public Law 111-84; 123 Stat. 2405) have, inconsistent with 
     the intent of Congress--
       (1) negatively impacted the ability of covered entities to 
     be awarded sole-source contracts with the Department of 
     Defense greater than $20,000,000;
       (2) discouraged agencies from awarding contracts greater 
     than $20,000,000 to covered entities; and
       (3) been misconstrued and/or inconsistently implemented.
       (b) The Comptroller General shall analyze and report to the 
     congressional defense committees on the sufficiency of the 
     Department's report in addressing the requirements; review 
     the extent to which section 811 has negatively impacted the 
     ability of covered entities to be awarded sole-source 
     contracts with the Department, discouraged agencies from 
     awarding contracts, or been misconstrued and/or 
     inconsistently implemented.
       Sec. 8119.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used with respect to Iraq in contravention of the War 
     Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1541 et seq.), including for the 
     introduction of United States armed forces into hostilities 
     in Iraq, into situations in Iraq where imminent involvement 
     in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, or 
     into Iraqi territory, airspace, or waters while equipped for 
     combat, in contravention of the congressional consultation 
     and reporting requirements of sections 3 and 4 of such 
     Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1542 and 1543).
       Sec. 8120.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used to divest, retire, transfer, or place in storage 
     or on backup aircraft inventory status, or prepare to divest, 
     retire, transfer, or place in storage or on backup aircraft 
     inventory status, any A-10 aircraft, or to disestablish any 
     units of the active or reserve component associated with such 
     aircraft.
       Sec. 8121.  Of the funds provided for ``Research, 
     Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide'' in this Act, 
     not less than $2,800,000 shall be used to support the 
     Department's activities related to the implementation of the 
     Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (Public Law 113-
     101; 31 U.S.C. 6101 note) and to support the implementation 
     of a uniform procurement instrument identifier as described 
     in subpart 4.16 of Title 48, Code of Federal Regulations, to 
     include changes in business processes, workforce, or 
     information technology.
       Sec. 8122.  None of the funds provided in this or any other 
     Act may be transferred to the National Sea Based Deterrent 
     Fund established by section 2218a of title 10, United States 
     Code.

                              {time}  2015


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Forbes

  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Strike section 8122.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Virginia and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, it is rare to find an amendment to an appropriation 
bill that has already been supported by 375 Members of this House; yet 
this amendment has, 90 percent of the House. It is rare to find an 
amendment to an appropriation bill that has such bipartisan support; 
yet this amendment has.
  This is an amendment not put in by just me, but by my good friend Mr. 
Courtney, by Mr. Wittman, by Mr. Langevin, by Mr. Rogers, by Ms. 
DeLauro--three HASC subcommittee chairmen, two HASC ranking members, 
and a Defense appropriator. It is an amendment that is supported by the 
chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and the ranking member 
of the House Armed Services Committee.
  It is rare to find such different groups in support, the Navy League, 
the United Auto Workers, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, 
AFL-CIO; yet this amendment has that support.
  The reason these planets are all aligning in this rare configuration 
is because it is also rare--in fact, once every other generation--that 
we have to build something like the Ohio class submarine; yet it falls 
upon this generation.
  In 4 years, we will begin the procurement. In 6 years, we will start 
construction of 12 ships--they call boats--that will carry 70 percent 
of the nuclear deterrence of this country--$92 billion.
  The national sea-based deterrence fund we formed last year helps us 
prepare for that in advance, instead of waiting until the night before 
to come up with $92 billion. It transfers $1.4 billion into a fund and 
allows the Department of Defense to find other moneys, a rare thing for 
the government to actually prepare in advance, instead of waiting until 
the last minute to prepare. It will help to purchase in bulk and save 
perhaps millions, maybe even billions of dollars.
  Now, I know there are voices that say in this world, with all the 
threats we see and all the demands we have for national defense, we 
cannot find creative solutions, and we have to do everything the way we 
have always done it.
  We disagree because, if we are not creative, if we don't find other 
solutions, CRS says we could lose--32 other ships, including as many as 
8 Virginia class subs, 8 destroyers, and 16 combatant ships.
  Those same voices will say, We can't set up a fund like that; yet 
they have already set up four different funds very similar to that.
  We ask for your support for this amendment.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, our committee strongly supports the 
Ohio class submarine. We have done it for years.
  Both the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) and I not only serve 
on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and provide its leadership,

[[Page 9219]]

but we have also supported this program on Energy and Water, which is 
the other part of the package.
  With respect, the gentleman from Virginia's amendment proposes to 
strike a provision of the bill, prohibits the transfer of funds to the 
national sea-based deterrence fund, a reserve established but not 
funded last year in the NDAA.
  We recognize this submarine will be expensive; however, the national 
sea-based deterrence fund will not make the submarine any less 
expensive, and it will not increase resources available to the 
Department of Defense.
  This Congress has an important responsibility to provide resources to 
all of our military services and the intelligence community. Under the 
structure of this special fund, the Secretary of Defense has the 
authority to divert dollars into this new fund from the Army, Marines, 
Air Force, Special Forces, missile defense, ISR, and other types of 
essential programs. This is the wrong approach. It removes, 
furthermore, congressional oversight from the Secretary of Defense.
  Secondly, if the President determines the Ohio class replacement is a 
must-fund platform, then the Navy should buy it, just as it has every 
other submarine in its inventory that our committee has supported. 
Establishing a special fund to pay for the submarine is an attempt to 
have other military services pay for what is a Navy responsibility.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chairman, could I ask how much time I have left?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Virginia has 2\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Courtney).
  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Chairman, I do not doubt for a second the sincerity 
of the chairman and the ranking member and their support for the Ohio 
replacement program.
  This chart, which the Navy produced, showing the 30-year shipbuilding 
plan, if we fully fund the Ohio class program, as well as a 300-ship 
Navy, demonstrates exactly the problem that confronts us today.
  It shows, again, a red line across, which shows the modern era of 
shipbuilding at about $15 billion a year; and, with the yellow portion 
of the chart, it shows how, for 13 years, Congress, starting in the 
2020s, is going to be asked to raise unprecedented amounts of money for 
the shipbuilding account.
  The fact of the matter is this is an asset that is not just the 
Navy's; it is the country's. Under New START, 70 percent of the nuclear 
triad will be borne by the Navy through its submarine program, far 
greater than in the past.
  The Air Force and their long-range bombers and the Army, with their 
ground-based systems, are not going to be bearing the same burden as a 
result of the Ohio class' planned burden under New START.
  We have an opportunity to do something sensible, which is based in 
clear precedent, as the gentleman from Virginia indicated.
  The sealift fund was funded out of the shipbuilding account. The 
missile-based system was funded on a separate account because these are 
national assets that provided assistance and national security across 
the board for the Pentagon.
  Support this amendment if you support a strong shipbuilding account 
and protect the shipbuilding industrial base of this country.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Wittman), the chairman of the House Armed Services 
Subcommittee on Readiness.
  Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this 
critical amendment to restore the national sea-based deterrence fund. 
This amendment is critical to maintaining our Nation's nuclear 
deterrence and ensure a robust Navy shipbuilding budget.
  It makes sense now to set aside funding for the Ohio class submarine 
replacement program. This makes sure that, down the road, we are not 
forced to choose between building a replacement ballistic missile 
submarine or a destroyer or an aircraft carrier.
  The Navy already faces challenges in building enough warships to meet 
the global threats our Nation faces. Funding the national sea-based 
deterrence fund is the best solution to maintaining national strategic 
deterrence without hollowing out the Navy's shipbuilding budget.
  I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I will continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chairman, I yield 45 seconds to the distinguished 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin), who is the ranking member 
of the Emerging Threats Subcommittee for the House Armed Services 
Committee.
  Mr. LANGEVIN. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Chairman, the national sea-based deterrence fund is critical to 
the future of our national security. It provides space outside the 
shipbuilding fund for the most survivable piece of our national 
deterrence, a bill that last came due in the 1980s in the Reagan 
defense buildup.
  Mr. Chairman, these boats are absolutely essential. This is not just 
a Navy issue, as Secretary of Defense Connor has said. This is a 
national priority. The deterrence fund allows us to treat it 
accordingly and avoid pressuring the Navy out of badly needed 
investments in other ships and capabilities.
  Unless Congress acts, these boats will consume half of the projected 
shipbuilding funding for a decade, causing crippling shortages that 
would echo in our fleet for decades after.
  We and many of our colleagues have worked on a bipartisan basis to 
rise to this challenge, and the result is this sea-based deterrence 
fund.
  Earlier this year, this body spoke loudly and clearly in overwhelming 
support of the fund and its purposes.
  I urge my colleagues to reaffirm that position with this amendment.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman 
from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy.
  Mr. Chairman, this is where reality comes into play. We talked about 
this earlier. Having a fund that is set up does not evade the 
responsibility of providing the long-term funding.
  All of these things in the Department of Defense are priorities, and 
our friends on the Appropriations Committee have the difficult job of 
trying to balance these priorities and have the big picture available 
to them.
  I think they have done exactly the right thing. I think this needs to 
be subsumed within the overall budget. There is no magic money. Having 
something that subverts the hard work that we ask the Appropriations 
Committee to do, I think, is the wrong thing to do.
  It is not easy to stand up and make this argument, but I appreciate 
what they have done. They did it last year, and it was appropriate. 
They have done it this year, and it is appropriate. We have to be able 
to deal with this in a comprehensive way and not use sleight of hand.
  I appreciate what the chair and ranking member have done.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to 
the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), the ranking member.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen for yielding.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise to join in opposition to the amendment in the 
strongest possible terms. I certainly respect the position of my 
colleagues on the other side of this argument, but I do remind my 
colleagues that the CBO estimates that this program is going to cost 
somewhere between $102 and $107 billion.
  You are absolutely correct. This is a very expensive program, and we 
ought to be very, very careful. Given the tremendous financial 
resources that we will be required to modernize or replace the U.S. 
nuclear delivery systems

[[Page 9220]]

and weapons over the next two decades, it is imperative that Congress 
begin to make tough decisions now and not set up segregated funds.
  Unfortunately, this fund is a means to avoid those tough decisions. 
Firstly, the fund in no way solves the problem of where are we going to 
get the money. It is not going to make the next generation of ballistic 
missile submarines any cheaper. It simply shifts the burden for paying 
for their construction from the Department of the Navy to the entire 
Department of Defense.
  I categorically disagree with the amendment's sponsor relative to 
this replacement program and the suggestion that it should exist 
outside the existing Navy shipbuilding account.
  The sponsors are correct that the funding for that shipbuilding 
account has been relatively flat in recent years. However, if the Ohio 
class replacement and the 300-ship Navy are priorities of this Nation 
and consistent with our national defense strategy, then we ought to pay 
for both in a transparent manner by increasing the resources in the 
shipbuilding account and not resort to setting up independent funds.
  Further, the sponsors indicate that this is a national priority, and 
I would not argue that point. These systems play a very important role 
in our nuclear deterrence, so do our long-range bombers and the weapons 
that they carry.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Indiana is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, long-range bombers also provide 
protection for this country as well as the weapons they carry. I think 
they qualify as national asset distinctions. Should we then set up 
funds for these programs?
  Let's think about other priorities within the Department. Should we 
set up a fund for the Army's 82nd Airborne? Should we set up a fund for 
the Air Force combat rescue officers? They are very deserving. Should 
we set up a fund for the special Marine Air-Ground Task Force? They are 
very deserving.
  Another concern that I have is it really expands and transfers 
authority to the Secretary of Defense. The last time I looked, we have 
a constitutional responsibility to make decisions ourselves.
  The fact is we already have a segregated fund that has drawn a lot of 
attention to this bill that is called the overseas contingency 
operations fund. Should we start picking between services now as to 
which one should receive special treatment? Should we then pick 
programs within particular services? I think not.
  Again, I strongly oppose the amendment and am pleased to join with 
the chairman in opposition.
  I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  2030

  Mr. FORBES. Can I request how much time I have left?
  The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Carter of Georgia). The gentleman from Virginia 
has 15 seconds remaining.
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chairman, the last two speakers have made my point 
for me. Mr. Blumenauer made the same arguments 4 weeks ago. It was 
defeated by 375 votes.
  The last gentleman that spoke said it is $102 billion. The question 
is whether we wait until the night before to come up with $102 billion 
or whether we start now and make sure we have it. This is a national 
priority. I hope we will pass this amendment and build these ships.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Virginia 
will be postponed.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Sec. 8123.  None of the funds provided in this Act for the 
     T-AO(X) program shall be used to award a new contract that 
     provides for the acquisition of the following components 
     unless those components are manufactured in the United 
     States: Auxiliary equipment (including pumps) for shipboard 
     services; propulsion equipment (including engines, reduction 
     gears, and propellers); shipboard cranes; and spreaders for 
     shipboard cranes.

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 8124.  In addition to amounts provided elsewhere in 
     this Act for military personnel pay, including active duty, 
     reserve and National Guard personnel, $700,000,000 is hereby 
     appropriated to the Department of Defense and made available 
     for transfer only to military personnel accounts: Provided, 
     That the transfer authority provided under this heading is in 
     addition to any other transfer authority provided elsewhere 
     in this Act.
       Sec. 8125.  The amounts appropriated in title II of this 
     Act are hereby reduced by $359,000,000 to reflect excess cash 
     balances in Department of Defense Working Capital Funds, as 
     follows:
       (1) From ``Operation and Maintenance, Army'', $138,000,000;
       (2) From ``Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide'', 
     $221,000,000.
       Sec. 8126.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     Act, to reflect savings due to lower than anticipated fuel 
     prices, the total amount appropriated in this Act is hereby 
     reduced by $814,000,000.
       Sec. 8127.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used to reduce the end strength levels for the Army 
     National Guard of the United States below the levels 
     specified for the Army National Guard of the United States in 
     subtitle B of title IV of the National Defense Authorization 
     Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113-291): Provided, That 
     this section shall continue in effect through the date of 
     enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     fiscal year 2016.
       Sec. 8128.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used to enforce section 526 of the Energy Independence 
     and Security Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-140; 42 U.S.C. 
     17142).

                                TITLE IX

                        GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM

                           MILITARY PERSONNEL

                        Military Personnel, Army

       For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Army'', 
     $5,664,570,000: Provided, That such amount is designated by 
     the Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War 
     on Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                        Military Personnel, Navy

       For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Navy'', 
     $1,643,136,000: Provided, That such amount is designated by 
     the Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War 
     on Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                    Military Personnel, Marine Corps

       For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Marine 
     Corps'', $555,998,000: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                     Military Personnel, Air Force

       For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Air 
     Force'', $2,376,095,000: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                        Reserve Personnel, Army

       For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Army'', 
     $24,462,000: Provided, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on 
     Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                        Reserve Personnel, Navy

       For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Navy'', 
     $12,693,000: Provided, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on 
     Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                    Reserve Personnel, Marine Corps

       For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Marine 
     Corps'', $3,393,000: Provided, That such amount is designated 
     by the Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global 
     War on Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                      Reserve Personnel, Air Force

       For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Air 
     Force'', $18,710,000: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/

[[Page 9221]]

     Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) 
     of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 
     1985.

                     National Guard Personnel, Army

       For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel, 
     Army'', $166,015,000: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                  National Guard Personnel, Air Force

       For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel, 
     Air Force'', $2,828,000: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                       OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

                    Operation and Maintenance, Army

       For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance, 
     Army'', $18,910,604,000: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.


                   Amendment Offered by Ms. McCollum

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 123, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $80,000,000)''.
       Page 123, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $80,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentlewoman 
from Minnesota and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Minnesota.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chairman, the amendment I am offering with my 
colleague from Kentucky (Mr. Barr) uses the global war on terrorism 
funds for the Army operations and maintenance to provide $80 million in 
the same account for hard body armor for the Soldier Protection System 
Vital Torso Protection equipment program.
  Now, every warfighter deployed or scheduled to be deployed deserves 
to be provided with the most advanced and the lightest hard body armor. 
The amendment will ensure that the deployed soldiers are protected with 
the modern body armor they need. Presently, this bill provides no funds 
for the Army hard body armor.
  This amendment will also help to ensure that the industrial base 
producing the specialized boron carbide powder, fabricating ceramic 
plates, and producing finished hard body armor can stay in business and 
sustain production of the lifesaving soldier protection equipment.
  The body armor industry is in crisis, and that puts our troops at 
risk.
  Last year, the House and Senate appropriated $80 million to the Army 
for industrial preparedness body armor. All four congressional defense 
committees explicitly directed the Army to ensure that the industrial 
base is able to continue the development and manufacture of more 
advanced body armor.
  Despite this clear and explicit direction, the Army has completely 
ignored Congress. The Army's failure to sustain the body armor 
industrial base has put a vital industry at risk and is causing layoffs 
among very specialized employees, which puts the entire industry at 
risk.
  There is no doubt that our troops deserve modern, lightweight body 
armor that requires a strong, reliable, and fully capable industrial 
base.
  Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Minnesota has 3 minutes 
remaining.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky 
(Mr. Barr), my good friend, my colleague on this issue.
  Mr. BARR. Mr. Chair, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Minnesota 
for her leadership on this issue and partnership in supporting this 
important and critical mission of our military to make sure that the 
United States warfighter in combat has the most advanced, lightweight 
body armor available to protect that soldier in the field against the 
enemy, and we must act now to make sure that the U.S. Army does what is 
the intent of the Congress.
  As the gentlewoman pointed out, despite the fact that Congress has 
been clear on this matter, despite the fact that report language for 
both the FY15 and FY16 Defense Appropriations measures recognize the 
importance of lightweight body armor protecting soldiers in combat, we 
encouraged the Secretary of the Army to ensure that the body armor 
industrial base was able to continue the development and manufacture of 
more advanced body armor by implementing the body armor modernization 
through a replenishment program.
  Despite all of that, despite the articulation of the clear will of 
this body, the Army has not used and deployed the funds appropriated 
properly, and the Department of Defense was at odds because the Army 
did not deploy the resources appropriated until, or expressed the 
intent of not deploying those resources until the end of the fiscal 
year.
  What this amendment will do is make sure that congressional intent is 
honored, make sure that the armor industrial base is properly 
maintained, and most importantly and most critically, when our men and 
women are called into combat to defend liberty and freedom, that we 
give them the tools that they need to keep them safe and carry out 
their mission with victory and honor.
  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chairman, once again, this $80 million is to 
provide body armor for the Soldier Protection System Vital Torso 
Protection equipment program. I ask for Members' support.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition, but, in fact, 
I support the amendment put forward by a member of our committee.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from New Jersey is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I thank the gentlewoman from Minnesota for her 
amendment, as well as the gentleman from Kentucky for his strong 
advocacy.
  Supporting our industrial base is a strong priority of mine and our 
committee's. We think this amendment is a good idea. It sends another 
message to the bureaucracy that we mean what we say.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                    Operation and Maintenance, Navy

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance, 
     Navy'', $6,747,313,000: of which up to $160,002,000 may be 
     transferred to the Coast Guard ``Operating Expenses'' 
     account, notwithstanding the provisions of section 2215 of 
     title 10, United States Code: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps

       For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance, 
     Marine Corps'', $1,871,834,000: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                  Operation and Maintenance, Air Force

       For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance, 
     Air Force'', $10,799,220,000: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide

       For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance, 
     Defense-Wide'', $7,559,131,000: Provided, That of the funds 
     provided under this heading, not to exceed $1,260,000,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2017, shall be for 
     payments to reimburse key cooperating nations for logistical, 
     military, and other support, including access, provided to 
     United States military and stability operations in 
     Afghanistan and to counter the Islamic State of Iraq

[[Page 9222]]

     and the Levant: Provided further, That such reimbursement 
     payments may be made in such amounts as the Secretary of 
     Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, and 
     in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management 
     and Budget, may determine, based on documentation determined 
     by the Secretary of Defense to adequately account for the 
     support provided, and such determination is final and 
     conclusive upon the accounting officers of the United States, 
     and 15 days following notification to the appropriate 
     congressional committees: Provided further, That these funds 
     may be used for the purpose of providing specialized training 
     and procuring supplies and specialized equipment and 
     providing such supplies and loaning such equipment on a non-
     reimbursable basis to coalition forces supporting United 
     States military and stability operations in Afghanistan and 
     to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and 15 
     days following notification to the appropriate congressional 
     committees: Provided further, That these funds may be used to 
     support the Government of Jordan, in such amounts as the 
     Secretary of Defense may determine, to maintain the ability 
     of the Jordanian armed forces to maintain security along the 
     border between Jordan and Syria, upon 15 days prior written 
     notification to the congressional defense committees 
     outlining the amounts reimbursed and the nature of the 
     expenses to be reimbursed: Provided further, That not to 
     exceed $15,000,000 can be used for emergencies and 
     extraordinary expenses, to be expended on the approval or 
     authority of the Secretary of Defense, and payments may be 
     made on his certificate of necessity for confidential 
     military purposes: Provided further, That the authority in 
     the preceding proviso may only be used for emergency and 
     extraordinary expenses associated with activities to counter 
     the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant: Provided further, 
     That of the funds provided under this heading, up to 
     $30,000,000 shall be for Operation Observant Compass: 
     Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense shall provide 
     quarterly reports to the congressional defense committees on 
     the use of funds provided in this paragraph: Provided 
     further, That such amount is designated by the Congress for 
     Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.


                 Amendment Offered by Mr. Poe of Texas

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 124, line 16, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced by $430,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Texas and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, my amendment cuts aid to Pakistan in half. Pakistan is 
the Benedict Arnold nation in the list of countries that we call our 
allies.
  Before Osama bin Laden met his maker in 2011 in one of the greatest 
U.S. military raids ever conducted, bin Laden was living in plain sight 
in a bustling military town. To think that the most senior levels of 
the Pakistani Government did not know that he was there requires, as 
Secretary Clinton said, ``the willing suspension of disbelief.''
  This February, the former head of Pakistan's version of the CIA, 
called the ISI, said that Pakistan most likely sheltered Osama bin 
Laden. And just last month, three U.S. intelligence sources told NBC 
News that Pakistan knew where Osama bin Laden was hiding all the time. 
Not only did Pakistan not help us get Osama bin Laden, Pakistan threw 
the doctor who did help us under the bus and put him in jail for 33 
years for cooperating with America.
  Pakistan did not help us because Pakistan was working with Osama bin 
Laden. Newly released documents retrieved from bin Laden's compound 
show that Pakistan's intelligence service was in contact with bin Laden 
and was working with him to convince U.S. leaders to negotiate with al 
Qaeda.
  There are some who say we need Pakistan to help us fight the war in 
Afghanistan, but Pakistan is on the wrong side. Pakistan is helping the 
terrorists, not us. Pakistan's intelligence service gives safe haven, 
resources, and training to terrorist groups, like the Haqqani network 
that has killed dozens of Americans.
  On September 22, 2011, Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee: 
``With ISI support, Haqqani operatives planned and conducted the truck 
bomb attack, as well as the assault on our Embassy.''
  The truck bombing he mentions wounded more than 70 U.S. and NATO 
troops. Admiral Mullen went on to say: ``The Haqqani network acts as a 
veritable arm of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency.''
  Throughout 2011, Pakistan tried to cheat the United States by filling 
out bogus reimbursement claims for allegedly going after terrorists 
when they weren't even doing that. That is the same account this money 
funds.
  There are others who say we need Pakistan's southern supply route to 
help our troops in Afghanistan. But for 7 months in 2012, Pakistan 
closed off the supply route, and we did just fine. What we really need 
access to is Pakistan's tribal areas. Terrorists that kill our troops 
in Afghanistan run back and forth across the Pakistan border and hide 
in these tribal areas, but Pakistan won't let our troops chase them 
there. And so the terrorists kill Americans, and they get away with it.
  Pakistan did do some military operations in the tribal areas last 
year, but they tipped off the Haqqani network before they got there 
that they were coming. Pakistan tipping off terrorists is nothing new. 
Last fall, Leon Panetta, Secretary of Defense at the time of the bin 
Laden raid, says of the Pakistanis, ``We just can't trust them.'' I 
agree. We can't trust Pakistan.
  My amendment does not cut money to protect Pakistan's nuclear 
weapons. The amendment does recognize the U.S.-Pakistan relationship 
for what it is. We don't need to pay Pakistan to be our enemy; they 
will do it for free. Pakistan has already received over $30 billion of 
our money since 2002. After 13 years of giving Pakistan more and more 
money, it is time to do something different. My amendment simply cuts 
the money we give Pakistan in half.
  I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  2045

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the 
gentleman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I certainly understand the gentleman's passion, 
and at times, I share some of the same concerns he stated in his 
remarks.
  Just to put a little perspective on it, the coalition support fund 
allows the Secretary of Defense to reimburse any key cooperating nation 
for logistical and military support, including access, specialized 
training to personnel, procurement and provision of supplies and 
equipment provided by that nation in connection with the U.S. military 
operations in Operation Enduring Freedom.
  Receipts for reimbursements are submitted by cooperating nations and 
are fully vetted by the Pentagon and follow strict criteria to meet the 
standard for reimbursement, and all payments are made in arrears and 
follow a notification to Congress, so there is a notification to 
Congress.
  Regarding Pakistan, the coalition support fund remains a critical 
tool to enable Pakistan to effectively deal with future challenges 
emerging from the U.S. drawdown. At times, I wonder whether we are 
withdrawing.
  It is also a cost-effective tool, some would say, for the U.S. to 
remain engaged in the region. I know all too well that our relationship 
with Pakistan is an uncomfortable one; I feel it, but these funds are 
sent to reimburse Pakistan for actions to protect our interests.
  These reimbursements are made to maintain some 186 Pakistani forces 
along 1,600 miles of border between Pakistan and Afghanistan to deter 
cross-border conflict, movement, and counterterrorism-counterinsurgency 
operations throughout the FATA, the Federally Administered Tribal 
Areas.
  The focus of this core level is against TTP, an al Qaeda-allied 
organization that conducts regional terrorist and insurgent attacks. 
Nearly 28,000 militants were killed, injured, or arrested due to these 
operations. Pakistan

[[Page 9223]]

itself--and this doesn't get much press--has suffered a lot of 
casualties themselves, about 5,000, while attempting to secure this 
treacherous border.
  Continued support of the deployment of the Pakistan Armed Forces in 
FATA and other areas in the future is needed for the long-term 
stability of the area.
  I must oppose the amendment, although I understand the passion with 
which the gentleman has made his argument because I think it is in our 
long-term interest to have this relationship.
  I would be happy to yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. 
Visclosky), my ranking member.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for yielding and 
would acknowledge the gentleman from Texas' legitimate concern.
  I would associate myself with the chairman's remark, but make one 
important addition, and that is the chairman has been adamant that we 
be very, very careful about our relationship with Pakistan, and the 
bill recognizes difficulties we face.
  I would draw the Member's attention to section 9015 that prohibits 
funds to Pakistan if the government is engaged in activities that 
present a concern to the government of the United States.
  I appreciate that the chairman insisted on that language. That is 
included in the bill.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas has 1 minute remaining.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member and the 
chairman of the committee.
  Pakistan cannot be trusted. They lie about the reimbursements. They 
have not met the criteria that the ranking member has talked about the 
last 4 years, and they got the money anyway. They are playing us, Mr. 
Chairman, and we pay them; and they use that money to hurt us, to hurt 
Americans.
  This amendment says: we are cutting the money in half because of your 
prior conduct that shows you can't be trusted.
  That is all this amendment does.
  I would hope Members of Congress would send a message to Pakistan: we 
are not going to pay you to hate us and pay you to kill us; we are 
going to cut the money off.
  And that is just the way it is.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas will 
be postponed.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                Operation and Maintenance, Army Reserve

       For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance, 
     Army Reserve'', $124,559,000: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                Operation and Maintenance, Navy Reserve

       For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance, 
     Navy Reserve'', $34,187,000: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

            Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps Reserve

       For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance, 
     Marine Corps Reserve'', $3,455,000: Provided, That such 
     amount is designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

              Operation and Maintenance, Air Force Reserve

       For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance, 
     Air Force Reserve'', $209,606,000: Provided, That such amount 
     is designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

             Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard

       For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance, 
     Army National Guard'', $160,845,000: Provided, That such 
     amount is designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

             Operation and Maintenance, Air National Guard

       For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance, 
     Air National Guard'', $225,350,000: Provided, That such 
     amount is designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                   Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the ``Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund'', 
     $2,060,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2017: 
     Provided, That such funds shall be available to provide 
     support and assistance to foreign security forces or other 
     groups or individuals to conduct, support, or facilitate 
     counterterrorism and crisis response activities pursuant to 
     section 1534 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015: 
     Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense shall 
     transfer the funds provided herein to other appropriations 
     provided for in this Act to be merged with and to be 
     available for the same purposes and subject to the same 
     authorities and for the same time period as the appropriation 
     to which transferred: Provided further, That the transfer 
     authority under this heading is in addition to any other 
     transfer authority provided elsewhere in this Act: Provided 
     further, That the funds available under this heading are 
     available for transfer only to the extent that the Secretary 
     of Defense submits a prior approval reprogramming request to 
     the congressional defense committees: Provided further, That 
     the Secretary of Defense shall comply with the appropriate 
     vetting standards and procedures established elsewhere in 
     this Act for any recipient of training, equipment, or other 
     assistance: Provided further, That the amount provided under 
     this heading is designated by the Congress for Overseas 
     Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to 
     section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                    Afghanistan Security Forces Fund

       For the ``Afghanistan Security Forces Fund'', 
     $3,762,257,000, to remain available until September 30, 2017: 
     Provided, That such funds shall be available to the Secretary 
     of Defense, notwithstanding any other provision of law, for 
     the purpose of allowing the Commander, Combined Security 
     Transition Command--Afghanistan, or the Secretary's designee, 
     to provide assistance, with the concurrence of the Secretary 
     of State, to the security forces of Afghanistan, including 
     the provision of equipment, supplies, services, training, 
     facility and infrastructure repair, renovation, construction, 
     and funding: Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense 
     may obligate and expend funds made available to the 
     Department of Defense in this title for additional costs 
     associated with existing projects previously funded with 
     amounts provided under the heading ``Afghanistan 
     Infrastructure Fund'' in prior Acts: Provided further, That 
     such costs shall be limited to contract changes resulting 
     from inflation, market fluctuation, rate adjustments, and 
     other necessary contract actions to complete existing 
     projects, and associated supervision and administration costs 
     and costs for design during construction: Provided further, 
     That the Secretary may not use more than $50,000,000 under 
     the authority provided in this section: Provided further, 
     That the Secretary shall notify in advance such contract 
     changes and adjustments in annual reports to the 
     congressional defense committees: Provided further, That the 
     authority to provide assistance under this heading is in 
     addition to any other authority to provide assistance to 
     foreign nations: Provided further, That contributions of 
     funds for the purposes provided herein from any person, 
     foreign government, or international organization may be 
     credited to this Fund, to remain available until expended, 
     and used for such purposes: Provided further, That the 
     Secretary of Defense shall notify the congressional defense 
     committees in writing upon the receipt and upon the 
     obligation of any contribution, delineating the sources and 
     amounts of the funds received and the specific use of such 
     contributions: Provided further, That the Secretary of 
     Defense shall, not fewer than 15 days prior to obligating 
     from this appropriation account, notify the congressional 
     defense committees in writing of the details of any such 
     obligation: Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense 
     shall notify the congressional defense committees of any 
     proposed new projects or transfer of funds between budget 
     sub-activity groups in excess of $20,000,000: Provided

[[Page 9224]]

     further, That the United States may accept equipment procured 
     using funds provided under this heading in this or prior Acts 
     that was transferred to the security forces of Afghanistan 
     and returned by such forces to the United States: Provided 
     further, That equipment procured using funds provided under 
     this heading in this or prior Acts, and not yet transferred 
     to the security forces of Afghanistan or transferred to the 
     security forces of Afghanistan and returned by such forces to 
     the United States, may be treated as stocks of the Department 
     of Defense upon written notification to the congressional 
     defense committees: Provided further, That of the funds 
     provided under this heading, not less than $10,000,000 shall 
     be for recruitment and retention of women in the Afghanistan 
     National Security Forces, and the recruitment and training of 
     female security personnel: Provided further, That such amount 
     is designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.


                    Amendment Offered by Mr. Walberg

  Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 130, beginning line 2, strike ``Provided'' and all 
     that follows through line 17.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Michigan and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
  Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise to offer a bipartisan amendment with Ms. Esty of Connecticut, 
Mr. Cohen of Tennessee, Mr. Jones of North Carolina, and Mr. Cicilline 
of Rhode Island that works to assure the appropriate use of American 
taxpayer dollars in Afghanistan.
  This amendment is in keeping with the clear position of the House, as 
we have voted numerous times in bipartisan fashion to limit funds for 
the Afghanistan infrastructure fund, a program which has been poorly 
run and is lacking in oversight.
  This amendment would specifically strike the language which allows 
$50 million in funds for the Afghanistan security forces fund to be 
redirected toward the Afghanistan infrastructure fund account.
  Mr. Chairman, we have spent billions of dollars toward rebuilding the 
infrastructure of Afghanistan, and Congress has provided $1.3 billion 
to the Afghanistan infrastructure fund since it was created in 2011. 
However, funds have been slow to be spent; and, as of March 31, 2015, 
more than 55 percent of AIF funds remain to be expended.
  Additionally, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan 
Reconstruction, SIGAR, has repeatedly found that DOD has experienced 
challenges in executing large infrastructure projects and that many 
projects underway are behind schedule and face serious cost overruns.
  SIGAR's audits have also found that we have inadequate sustainment 
plans and that projects lack an identifiable counterinsurgency benefit. 
SIGAR has also expressed reservations about the Afghans' ability to 
even operate and maintain these energy projects upon completion.
  Now, it is my understanding that DOD requested this repurposing of 
funds because the budget authority on previously authorized funds is 
about to expire. I know we all look to our commanders in the field for 
guidance on what they need to finish the job in Afghanistan, but with 
over half of existing funds remaining to be expended, I ask: Mr. 
Chairman, why should we take away from other programs and give to this 
one?
  I urge adoption of my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the 
gentleman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Indiana is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I share the gentleman's deep concern 
over the tax dollars that have been, if you would, wasted--is probably 
the most polite term I can think of--in some of the infrastructure 
investment in Afghanistan and would not in any way argue that point.
  The gentleman mentions the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan 
Reconstruction. He and his office have been in mine, the chairman's, 
the committee, and there is no question that the gentleman makes a 
very, very important point about making sure that those funds we are 
spending, despite the best of intentions, be spent carefully.
  I would note to my colleagues that we do have within somewhat recent 
time, the last year or so since August, a new government in place in 
Afghanistan. The administration has made a decision to maintain troop 
levels at their current position given that change of government and, 
if you would, after all of the loss of life, the suffering, and loss of 
treasury for the last 14 years, to give that nation one last good 
chance.
  I rise in opposition, essentially, to do that for Afghanistan and to 
give them that last good chance for these few remaining significant 
projects.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, let me echo some of the sentiments 
of Mr. Visclosky about some of the concerns and some of the reports 
that have been issued by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan 
Reconstruction. It should be worrisome. A hell of a lot of money has 
been wasted.
  I do think there are some projects that need to be completed. One 
that comes to mind is the Kandahar bridging solution, the plan to bring 
electric power to Kandahar. It ends in 3 months. We need to continue 
that investment. This was a top counterinsurgency priority. Most road 
projects are completed. The second is the Kajaki Dam has less than a 
year's work remaining and will supply renewable electric power to the 
grid.
  These are elements of stability that sometimes get lost in reports of 
empty buildings where there are no occupants and no electricity. I 
think we need to continue to give a helping hand to the Afghan people 
because, if they don't have an economy, then they are not going to have 
any national security. They need a stable economy, and some of these 
projects near completion need to be continued.
  I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Chairman, I would simply suggest, again, we have a 
new government. I certainly think their concern for ethics, as well as 
care in investment, is worth taking that last good chance to give them 
a last good chance.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the words, the sentiments, 
the compassion of both my colleagues; but this is an issue that we have 
addressed for quite some time. It is not new.
  I am as concerned about our administration of the funds, our 
Department of Defense encouragement of Afghans to use the funds, and to 
make sure that contractual arrangements are in place so completion will 
take place. We have not seen that.
  I think it is time that reality strikes home. While I understand the 
need to encourage a new government, sometimes, the best way is tough 
love and a clear indication that comes through finances as well.
  I, again, encourage my colleagues to adopt my amendment, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Michigan 
will be postponed.

                              {time}  2100

  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                       Iraq Train and Equip Fund

       For the ``Iraq Train and Equip Fund'', $715,000,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2017: Provided, That 
     such funds

[[Page 9225]]

     shall be available to the Secretary of Defense, in 
     coordination with the Secretary of State, pursuant to section 
     1236 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon National 
     Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 
     113-291; 128 Stat. 3558), to provide assistance, including 
     training, equipment, logistics support, supplies, and 
     services, stipends, infrastructure repair, renovation, and 
     sustainment to military and other security forces of or 
     associated with the Government of Iraq, including Kurdish and 
     tribal security forces or other local security forces, with a 
     national security mission, to counter the Islamic State of 
     Iraq and the Levant: Provided further, That the Secretary of 
     Defense shall ensure that prior to providing assistance to 
     elements of any forces such elements are appropriately 
     vetted, including at a minimum, assessing such elements for 
     associations with terrorist groups or groups associated with 
     the Government of Iran; and receiving commitments from such 
     elements to promote respect for human rights and the rule of 
     law: Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense may 
     accept and retain contributions, including assistance in-
     kind, from foreign governments, including the Government of 
     Iraq, and other entities, to carry out assistance authorized 
     under this heading: Provided further, That contributions of 
     funds for the purposes provided herein from any foreign 
     government or other entities, may be credited to this Fund, 
     to remain available until expended, and used for such 
     purposes: Provided further, That not more than 25 percent of 
     the funds appropriated under this heading may be obligated or 
     expended until not fewer than 15 days after (1) the Secretary 
     of Defense submits a report to the appropriate congressional 
     committees, describing the plan for the provision of such 
     training and assistance and the forces designated to receive 
     such assistance, and (2) the President submits a report to 
     the appropriate congressional committees on how assistance 
     provided under this heading supports a larger regional 
     strategy: Provided further, That of the amount provided under 
     this heading, not more than 60 percent may be obligated or 
     expended until not less than 15 days after the date on which 
     the Secretary of Defense certifies to the appropriate 
     congressional committees that an amount equal to not less 
     than 40 percent of the amount provided under this heading has 
     been contributed by other countries and entities for the 
     purposes for which funds are provided under this heading, of 
     which at least 50 percent shall have been contributed or 
     provided by the Government of Iraq: Provided further, That 
     the limitation in the preceding proviso shall not apply if 
     the Secretary of Defense determines, in writing, that the 
     national security objectives of the United States will be 
     compromised by the application of the limitation to such 
     assistance, and notifies the appropriate congressional 
     committees not less than 15 days in advance of the exemption 
     taking effect, including a justification for the Secretary's 
     determination and a description of the assistance to be 
     exempted from the application of such limitation: Provided 
     further, That the Secretary of Defense may waive a provision 
     of law relating to the acquisition of items and support 
     services or sections 40 and 40A of the Arms Export Control 
     Act (22 U.S.C. 2780 and 2785) if the Secretary determines 
     such provisions of law would prohibit, restrict, delay or 
     otherwise limit the provision of such assistance and a notice 
     of and justification for such waiver is submitted to the 
     appropriate congressional committees: Provided further, That 
     the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' under this 
     heading means the congressional defense committees, the 
     Committees on Appropriations and Foreign Relations of the 
     Senate and the Committees on Appropriations and Foreign 
     Affairs of the House of Representatives: Provided further, 
     That amounts made available under this heading are designated 
     by the Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global 
     War on Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.


                     Amendment Offered by Mr. Nolan

  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 132, line 10, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced to $0)''.
       Page 162, line 25, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $715,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Minnesota and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.
  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I would like to begin by taking a moment to thank Chairman 
Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Visclosky. As one who served a long 
time ago when everything came up under an open rule, we don't see as 
much of that. I can't commend both of the gentlemen and their 
committees enough. I wish everybody in America could see how hard they 
have worked in their committees and here on the House floor. The 
country should know that there are no two more highly regarded people 
who are serving in this Chamber than our chairman and our ranking 
member.
  Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment that will save us a lot of money 
and, quite frankly, end a sad chapter in American history. My amendment 
eliminates funding for the Iraq Train and Equip Program and applies 
that money to reducing the deficit. The administration, as we all know, 
is now urging strategic patience with Iraq. The truth is we have had a 
failed strategy there from the very beginning. The fact is that this is 
a century-old conflict. The fact is that we have no friends in this 
conflict. The history of it is clear.
  I happened to be up in Tora Bora back in the seventies, and I learned 
that we were funding and training and equipping the Mujahedeen to fight 
against the Russians under the notion that the enemy of our enemy is 
our friend. We were wrong. They morphed into al Qaeda, and they were 
the people who bombed the World Trade Center. Then we supported Saddam 
Hussein in the war against Iran. We knew he had used chemical weapons, 
because we had the sales receipts. We had supplied them. After that, we 
deposed him. Then we put the Shiites in power, and the Shiites 
proceeded to tell all of the Christians and the Jews and the Catholics, 
``Get out of town, or we will kill you.'' They shut down all of the 
synagogues and the Catholic churches. Then we decided we would have a 
Sunni awakening. That was supplying arms and weapons to the Sunnis 
because the Shiites were persecuting them. They ultimately morphed into 
what we now have as ISIL. Now here we are. We find ourselves fighting 
the Shiites in Yemen, and we are supporting the Shiites in Iraq. We are 
not sure if we are for them or against them in Syria.
  The simple truth is that we have been on every side of this conflict. 
We really have no friends in this conflict. Inevitably, our goodwill, 
our good intentions have resulted in the arms and the weapons, as Judge 
Poe just said, ending up in the hands of our enemies, and they use them 
against us.
  The fact is we have spent $3 trillion on this conflict. Think about 
that--$3 trillion. For $1 trillion of that, we could have graduated 
debt free every kid in America from college and vocational school. Just 
think about it. We could have rebuilt our transportation and 
infrastructure system in this country. For another $1 trillion, we 
could have given the Americans a tax break.
  Mr. Chairman, instead of 13 years of war, the administration now 
admits that we have no strategy. The Secretary of Defense admits that 
the Iraqi Army has no will to fight ISIL. When they took over Ramadi, 
all they did was growl at them, and they ran like rabbits. They left 
their Humvees, and they left their tanks, and they left all of their 
weapons, and we resupplied ISIL, once again, to use those weapons 
against us. The weapons we have supplied and the people we have trained 
have ended up in enemy hands time and time again and have been used 
against us.
  Mr. Chairman and colleagues, you know the old definition of insanity 
is repeating the same behavior, is repeating the same behavior, is 
repeating the same behavior over and over and expecting some different 
result. To paraphrase the old Serenity Prayer, let me say, Mr. 
President and colleagues: Let us change what we have the power, the 
wisdom, and the courage to do before we bankrupt this country.
  The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the 
gentleman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, may I say that I share quite a lot 
of the gentleman's sentiments.
  I have said on a number of occasions, when you put the Defense bill 
forward, sometimes you have to support things

[[Page 9226]]

that the Commander in Chief and the President want that you are highly 
dubious about. I have been very conflicted about this Train and Equip. 
At times, I think the enemy is doing a better job of training and 
equipping their own than we are, and, at times, it has been pretty 
deplorable. I want the gentleman to know I do support this effort. Let 
me just put some meat on the bones to, maybe, even make his point but, 
in reality, tell a little truth about the program.
  The Iraq Train and Equip Program provides about $715 million in both 
funding and authority to assist military and other forces associated 
with the Government of Iraq, including Kurdish and tribal security 
forces, with a national security mission to counter ISIL. We do know in 
the overall mix--and the gentleman from Minnesota knows it--there are 
some good guys over there. Of course, a lot of the good guys have been 
taken over by the Quds Force and the Iranians to the south, but, in 
reality, we do have some good allies in the north with the Kurds, so I 
haven't given up on all parts of Iraq.
  I think we need to continue to support the program. Evidently, our 
President does as well. We are sending 400 more advisers over to, shall 
we say, set up a new base camp in Ramadi in Anbar province to sort of 
respond to a huge crisis there when that city was taken over. I would 
hate to abandon the people of Iraq without giving it one more try.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), my ranking member.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I thank the chairman for yielding.
  Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman's motivation in offering 
this. In a sense, the three of us are agreed given the skepticism that 
has been expressed here today.
  I would also add that I do believe this institution needs to have a 
resolution that defines with some specificity what our projection of 
force should be as to the disposition of our military personnel and 
assets. Certainly, I am grievously disappointed for those countries in 
that region in their lack of clarity and purpose. Also, in using, if 
you would, a religious theme, I was taught that we should have hope in 
the future, and my concern is, if we cease this training program for 
those who want a change in government, for those who want to do the 
right thing in Syria, they will lose what shred of hope still exists.
  Principally, for that reason, I join with the chairman in opposition 
to the gentleman's amendment, but I do appreciate the gentleman's 
motivation.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey has 1\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. In reclaiming my time, I have a few other 
comments.
  Mr. Chairman, I said I do work on behalf of the President of the 
United States and our Commander in Chief, and I have to say I have 
concerns about our continued investment in Pakistan. We debated that. 
We have had talk about the Afghan infrastructure fund, which has been 
troubled with projects, and this is an ongoing area which has not been 
trouble free. Yet it is interesting that nobody from the White House, 
since the budget was introduced, has reached out to me relative to 
defending these programs.
  I think the people of these countries deserve protection and support, 
but it is interesting that we carry the water on these issues and on 
many other issues on this committee. Do we get any reinforcements? 
Actually, our entire bill has been put together for all of our military 
services without any assistance from those military services to get us 
across the finish line. I think it is remarkable. The standoffishness--
the ambivalence--about working with us, I think, is a total disgrace.
  I have to oppose the gentleman's amendment, and he certainly knows 
more about my sentiments publicly that I have expressed in the past.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Nolan).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Minnesota 
will be postponed.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                       Syria Train and Equip Fund

       For the ``Syria Train and Equip Fund'', $600,000,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2017: Provided, That 
     such funds shall be available to the Secretary of Defense, in 
     coordination with the Secretary of State, to provide 
     assistance, including training, equipment, supplies, 
     stipends, construction of training and associated facilities, 
     and sustainment, to appropriately vetted elements of the 
     Syrian opposition and other appropriately vetted Syrian 
     groups and individuals for the following purposes: defending 
     the Syrian people from attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq 
     and the Levant, and securing territory controlled by the 
     Syrian opposition; protecting the United States, its friends 
     and allies, and the Syrian people from the threats posed by 
     terrorists in Syria; and promoting the conditions for a 
     negotiated settlement to end the conflict in Syria: Provided 
     further, That the Secretary may accept and retain 
     contributions, including assistance in-kind, from foreign 
     governments and other entities to carry out activities 
     authorized under this heading: Provided further, That 
     contributions of funds for the purposes provided herein from 
     any foreign government or other entities may be credited to 
     this Fund, to remain available until expended and used for 
     such purposes: Provided further, That the Secretary may 
     provide assistance to third countries for purposes of the 
     provision of assistance authorized under this heading: 
     Provided further, That the term ``appropriately vetted'' 
     shall be construed to mean, at a minimum, assessments of 
     possible recipients for associations with terrorist groups 
     including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), 
     Jabhat al Nusrah, Ahrar al Sham, other al-Qaeda related 
     groups, Hezbollah, or Shia militias supporting the 
     Governments of Syria or Iran; and for commitment to the rule 
     of law and a peaceful and democratic Syria: Provided further, 
     That none of the funds used pursuant to this authority shall 
     be used for the procurement or transfer of man-portable air-
     defense systems: Provided further, That nothing in this 
     section shall be construed to constitute a specific statutory 
     authorization for the introduction of the United States Armed 
     Forces into hostilities or into situations wherein 
     hostilities are clearly indicated by the circumstances, in 
     accordance with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution: 
     Provided further, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on 
     Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.


              Amendment Offered by Mr. Clawson of Florida

  Mr. CLAWSON of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment before the 
floor for consideration.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Page 135, line 13, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(reduced to $0)''.
       Page 162, line 25, after the dollar amount, insert 
     ``(increased by $600,000,000)''.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Florida and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
  Mr. CLAWSON of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I would like to start tonight by saying that my mother is gravely ill 
in Florida this evening, and I can't be with her, but I want her to 
know that I am with her right now, and I am always with her.
  We all want to end U.S. involvement in conflicts where there is no 
long-term strategy, no vision of success in the end, and the 
disproportional sacrifice of our brave military forces, Mr. Chairman. 
U.S. involvement against ISIS in Syria fits this characterization. The 
administration even admits that there is no comprehensive strategy in 
place. Therefore, by amendment, we are proposing to defund U.S. support 
for the Syrian rebels and move the funds to the spending reduction 
account.
  Last September, Congress allocated $500 million to train and arm 
Syrian

[[Page 9227]]

rebels. This program, however, is fraught with uncertainties and 
doubts, and the launch of the program has been less than impressive. Of 
the 15,000 Syrian rebels we planned to train and equip over a 3-year 
period, so far, only about 400 have been vetted and deemed ready. 
Meanwhile, other Syrian rebels have either disappeared from the 
battlefield or have defected to extremist factions, and ISIS has 
expanded its ground forces, its operations, and its territories. Other 
jihadist factions in Syria are also gaining strength, and the Assad 
regime continues its atrocities.
  The civil war in Syria has now resulted in 220,000 Syrian deaths and 
in 11.5 million people--over half the population--displaced within 
Syria. The U.S. continues to provide, by far, the bulk of the military 
might, most of it air power. It is hard to imagine defeating ISIS 
without substantial ground forces to combat it at this point. The 
Defense Appropriations bill includes $600 million to train and arm 
Syrian rebels as part of this needed boots-on-the-ground.

                              {time}  2115

  But whatever the number of Syrian rebels we ultimately introduce into 
the battlefield, they alone, I believe, are unlikely to turn the tide. 
Nor are these rebels expected to end the Assad government, even though 
that, too, is one of our stated goals.
  History has shown that when we arm untested and difficult-to-vet 
rebel forces, the weapons we provide too often wind up being aimed at 
our U.S. troops. I am told that the last time our country funded a 
foreign war through vicarious fighters was the Taliban fighting against 
the Russians in the 1970s.
  Please join us in saying ``no'' to additional funding for these 
untested Syrian rebels unless and until Congress receives clear answers 
to the following questions: Where is the accounting for the first $500 
million? I don't have it. Why isn't the second $600 million, if 
appropriate, funded by other folks in the coalition? What is the 
objective? What does success look like in the Syrian civil war? Does 
victory require the end of the Assad government? What is the 
comprehensive strategy for defeating ISIS in Iraq and beyond?
  In our view, without the answers to these questions, it makes no 
sense to proceed. It is our job to review and assess. I ask that 
defunding of the Syrian train and equip fund be accomplished by this 
amendment to H.R. 2685.
  I acknowledge my deep admiration for the chairman and ranking member 
and what they have accomplished in this bill and acknowledge so many 
good things in the bill, but it is hard for me to accept this war that 
is going nowhere.
  I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Nolan).
  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Chairman, I am glad to join my colleague. I have 
enormous respect for the chairman and the ranking member's good and 
noble intentions, but, again, the fact is we have no friends in these 
conflicts. The weapons that we send inevitably are being used against 
us. I was here during the Vietnam war conflict, and the arguments that 
we hear today for continuing this involvement is to somehow make 
something good out of what hasn't been quite so good, and we finally 
ended that conflict by cutting off the funds for it. That is how we are 
going to end our wars of choice in the Middle East, wars of choice that 
are bankrupting this country and costly in blood and treasury.
  Mr. CLAWSON of Florida. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the 
amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I am sure, on behalf of everybody on 
the floor, we extend to Mr. Clawson our sympathy and hope that his 
mother will recover. I am sure if she has the ability to be watching 
the television tonight, she is already very proud of his courageous 
remarks on the floor.
  Mr. CLAWSON of Florida. Heartfelt. Thanks.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, while I appreciate the sentiment of 
the amendment, this is a complicated issue--that is an understatement--
with multifaceted policy ramifications that really can't be fully 
debated in 5 or 10 minutes. The situation in Syria remains highly 
complicated and complex and poses imminent threats to the United States 
and allied interests, particularly Israel, Jordan, and Iraq.
  Recognizing congressional concerns regarding potential U.S. military 
involvement in Syria, our bill appropriates funds in the GWOT account, 
the title IX that I talked about several hours ago to train and equip 
Syrians. It also further prohibits the introduction of U.S. military 
forces into hostilities in Syria except in accordance with the War 
Powers Act.
  However, this amendment, in my judgment, goes too far, for it 
attempts to tie the U.S. Government's hands in navigating the 
complicated situation we--or, more importantly, our allies Israel and 
Jordan--face related to threats emanating from ISIL in Iraq and Syria 
every day. We have to be realistic. There are many countries, including 
our allies, as well as other groups already involved in Syria.
  This amendment would do nothing to stop the arming of the Syrian 
opposition. What this amendment would do is remove the possibility of 
the U.S. engaging under any circumstances, even if such engagement 
would be in the best interests of the United States or allies. Even at 
this rate, the U.S. is paying just a portion of the costs.
  I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), the ranking 
member, for any comments he may wish to make.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I thank the gentleman for yielding. I also want to 
express my best wishes for the gentleman's mother. It is hard to oppose 
a gentleman who went to Purdue University. I know he is a very smart 
individual. I have my other colleague here from Minnesota.
  I have spoken to our colleagues on the previous amendment. I think 
people understand my position. I simply would add my voice to the 
chairman and emphasize, this is a very tough problem, and we ought to 
maintain as large a degree of flexibility as we can.
  I appreciate the chairman's remarks and associate myself with them.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, but I 
certainly understand the sentiments behind it.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Clawson).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Florida will 
be postponed.
  The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              PROCUREMENT

                       Aircraft Procurement, Army

       For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement, 
     Army'', $759,073,000, to remain available until September 30, 
     2018: Provided, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on 
     Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                       Missile Procurement, Army

       For an additional amount for ``Missile Procurement, Army'', 
     $572,735,000, to remain available until September 30, 2018: 
     Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress for 
     Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

        Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army

       For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Weapons and 
     Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army'', $647,630,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2018: Provided, That such 
     amount is designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                    Procurement of Ammunition, Army

       For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition, 
     Army'', $431,640,000, to

[[Page 9228]]

     remain available until September 30, 2018: Provided, That 
     such amount is designated by the Congress for Overseas 
     Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to 
     section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                        Other Procurement, Army

       For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Army'', 
     $1,648,312,000, to remain available until September 30, 2018: 
     Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress for 
     Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                       Aircraft Procurement, Navy

       For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement, 
     Navy'', $722,274,000, to remain available until September 30, 
     2018: Provided, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on 
     Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

            Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps

       For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition, 
     Navy and Marine Corps'', $105,459,000, to remain available 
     until September 30, 2018: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                        Other Procurement, Navy

       For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Navy'', 
     $12,186,000, to remain available until September 30, 2018: 
     Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress for 
     Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                       Procurement, Marine Corps

       For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Marine Corps'', 
     $234,741,000, to remain available until September 30, 2018: 
     Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress for 
     Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                    Aircraft Procurement, Air Force

       For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement, Air 
     Force'', $1,297,726,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2018: Provided, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on 
     Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                     Missile Procurement, Air Force

       For an additional amount for ``Missile Procurement, Air 
     Force'', $773,638,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2018: Provided, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on 
     Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                      Space Procurement, Air Force

       For an additional amount for ``Space Procurement, Air 
     Force'', $452,676,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2018: Provided, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on 
     Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                  Procurement of Ammunition, Air Force

       For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition, 
     Air Force'', $1,673,358,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2018: Provided, That such amount is designated 
     by the Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global 
     War on Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                      Other Procurement, Air Force

       For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Air 
     Force'', $7,045,550,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2018: Provided, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on 
     Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                       Procurement, Defense-Wide

       For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Defense-Wide'', 
     $217,701,000, to remain available until September 30, 2018: 
     Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress for 
     Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

              National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account

       For procurement of covered items for the reserve components 
     of the Armed Forces, $1,500,000,000, to remain available for 
     obligation until September 30, 2017: Provided, That the 
     Chiefs of National Guard and Reserve components shall, not 
     later than 30 days after enactment of this Act, individually 
     submit to the congressional defense committees the 
     modernization priority assessment for their respective 
     National Guard or Reserve component: Provided, That for the 
     purposes of this paragraph, the term ``covered items'' means 
     items that-- (1) are not major weapon systems, aircraft, or 
     other items central to the mission of an organization; and 
     (2) are useful for both missions performed under title 10, 
     United States Code, and missions performed under title 32, 
     United States Code, when applicable, including radios, 
     generators, computers, trucks, and other dual-use items: 
     Provided further, That such amount is designated by the 
     Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on 
     Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

              RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION

            Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army

       For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test 
     and Evaluation, Army'', $1,500,000, to remain available until 
     September 30, 2017: Provided, That such amount is designated 
     by the Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global 
     War on Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

            Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy

       For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test 
     and Evaluation, Navy'', $217,647,000, to remain available 
     until September 30, 2017: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

         Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force

       For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test 
     and Evaluation, Air Force'', $1,366,242,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2017: Provided, That such 
     amount is designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

        Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide

       For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test 
     and Evaluation, Defense-Wide'', $199,264,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2017: Provided, That such 
     amount is designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                     REVOLVING AND MANAGEMENT FUNDS

                     Defense Working Capital Funds

       For an additional amount for ``Defense Working Capital 
     Funds'', $88,850,000: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                  OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS

                         Defense Health Program

       For an additional amount for ``Defense Health Program'', 
     $272,704,000, which shall be for operation and maintenance: 
     Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress for 
     Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

         Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense

       For an additional amount for ``Drug Interdiction and 
     Counter-Drug Activities, Defense'', $275,300,000: Provided, 
     That such amount is designated by the Congress for Overseas 
     Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to 
     section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985.

             Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the ``Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund'', 
     $443,271,000, to remain available until September 30, 2018: 
     Provided, That such funds shall be available to the Secretary 
     of Defense, notwithstanding any other provision of law, for 
     the purpose of allowing the Director of the Joint Improvised 
     Explosive Device Defeat Organization to investigate, develop 
     and provide equipment, supplies, services, training, 
     facilities, personnel and funds to assist United States 
     forces in the defeat of improvised explosive devices: 
     Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense may transfer 
     funds provided herein to appropriations for military 
     personnel; operation and maintenance; procurement; research, 
     development, test and evaluation; and defense working capital 
     funds to accomplish the purpose provided herein: Provided 
     further, That this transfer authority is in addition to any 
     other transfer authority available to the Department of 
     Defense: Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense 
     shall,

[[Page 9229]]

     not fewer than 15 days prior to making transfers from this 
     appropriation, notify the congressional defense committees in 
     writing of the details of any such transfer: Provided 
     further, That such amount is designated by the Congress for 
     Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

                    Office of the Inspector General

       For an additional amount for the ``Office of the Inspector 
     General'', $10,262,000: Provided, That such amount is 
     designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985.

                     GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE

       Sec. 9001.  Each amount designated in this Act by the 
     Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on 
     Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 
     shall be available only if the President subsequently so 
     designates all such amounts and transmits such designations 
     to the Congress
       Sec. 9002.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
     funds made available in this title are in addition to amounts 
     appropriated or otherwise made available for the Department 
     of Defense for fiscal year 2016.

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 9003.  Upon the determination of the Secretary of 
     Defense that such action is necessary in the national 
     interest, the Secretary may, with the approval of the Office 
     of Management and Budget, transfer up to $3,500,000,000 
     between the appropriations or funds made available to the 
     Department of Defense in this title: Provided, That the 
     Secretary shall notify the Congress promptly of each transfer 
     made pursuant to the authority in this section: Provided 
     further, That the authority provided in this section is in 
     addition to any other transfer authority available to the 
     Department of Defense and is subject to the same terms and 
     conditions as the authority provided in section 8005 of this 
     Act.
       Sec. 9004.  Supervision and administration costs and costs 
     for design during construction associated with a construction 
     project funded with appropriations available for operation 
     and maintenance or the ``Afghanistan Security Forces Fund'' 
     provided in this Act and executed in direct support of 
     overseas contingency operations in Afghanistan, may be 
     obligated at the time a construction contract is awarded: 
     Provided, That for the purpose of this section, supervision 
     and administration costs and costs for design during 
     construction include all in-house Government costs.
       Sec. 9005.  From funds made available in this title, the 
     Secretary of Defense may purchase for use by military and 
     civilian employees of the Department of Defense in the U.S. 
     Central Command area of responsibility: (a) passenger motor 
     vehicles up to a limit of $75,000 per vehicle; and (b) heavy 
     and light armored vehicles for the physical security of 
     personnel or for force protection purposes up to a limit of 
     $450,000 per vehicle, notwithstanding price or other 
     limitations applicable to the purchase of passenger carrying 
     vehicles.
       Sec. 9006.  Not to exceed $10,000,000 of the amounts 
     appropriated in this title under the heading ``Operation and 
     Maintenance, Army'' may be used, notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, to fund the Commander's Emergency Response 
     Program (CERP), for the purpose of enabling military 
     commanders in Afghanistan to respond to urgent, small-scale, 
     humanitarian relief and reconstruction requirements within 
     their areas of responsibility: Provided, That each project 
     (including any ancillary or related elements in connection 
     with such project) executed under this authority shall not 
     exceed $2,000,000: Provided further, That not later than 45 
     days after the end of each fiscal year quarter, the Secretary 
     of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense 
     committees a report regarding the source of funds and the 
     allocation and use of funds during that quarter that were 
     made available pursuant to the authority provided in this 
     section or under any other provision of law for the purposes 
     described herein: Provided further, That, not later than 30 
     days after the end of each month, the Army shall submit to 
     the congressional defense committees monthly commitment, 
     obligation, and expenditure data for the Commander's 
     Emergency Response Program in Afghanistan: Provided further, 
     That not less than 15 days before making funds available 
     pursuant to the authority provided in this section or under 
     any other provision of law for the purposes described herein 
     for a project with a total anticipated cost for completion of 
     $500,000 or more, the Secretary shall submit to the 
     congressional defense committees a written notice containing 
     each of the following:
       (1) The location, nature and purpose of the proposed 
     project, including how the project is intended to advance the 
     military campaign plan for the country in which it is to be 
     carried out.
       (2) The budget, implementation timeline with milestones, 
     and completion date for the proposed project, including any 
     other CERP funding that has been or is anticipated to be 
     contributed to the completion of the project.
       (3) A plan for the sustainment of the proposed project, 
     including the agreement with either the host nation, a non-
     Department of Defense agency of the United States Government 
     or a third-party contributor to finance the sustainment of 
     the activities and maintenance of any equipment or facilities 
     to be provided through the proposed project.
       Sec. 9007.  Funds available to the Department of Defense 
     for operation and maintenance may be used, notwithstanding 
     any other provision of law, to provide supplies, services, 
     transportation, including airlift and sealift, and other 
     logistical support to coalition forces supporting military 
     and stability operations in Afghanistan and to counter the 
     Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant: Provided, That the 
     Secretary of Defense shall provide quarterly reports to the 
     congressional defense committees regarding support provided 
     under this section.
       Sec. 9008.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
     made available by this or any other Act shall be obligated or 
     expended by the United States Government for a purpose as 
     follows:
       (1) To establish any military installation or base for the 
     purpose of providing for the permanent stationing of United 
     States Armed Forces in Iraq.
       (2) To exercise United States control over any oil resource 
     of Iraq.
       (3) To establish any military installation or base for the 
     purpose of providing for the permanent stationing of United 
     States Armed Forces in Afghanistan.
       Sec. 9009.  None of the funds made available in this Act 
     may be used in contravention of the following laws enacted or 
     regulations promulgated to implement the United Nations 
     Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or 
     Degrading Treatment or Punishment (done at New York on 
     December 10, 1984):
       (1) Section 2340A of title 18, United States Code.
       (2) Section 2242 of the Foreign Affairs Reform and 
     Restructuring Act of 1998 (division G of Public Law 105-277; 
     112 Stat. 2681-822; 8 U.S.C. 1231 note) and regulations 
     prescribed thereto, including regulations under part 208 of 
     title 8, Code of Federal Regulations, and part 95 of title 
     22, Code of Federal Regulations.
       (3) Sections 1002 and 1003 of the Department of Defense, 
     Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes 
     in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006 
     (Public Law 109-148).
       Sec. 9010.  None of the funds provided for the 
     ``Afghanistan Security Forces Fund'' (ASFF) may be obligated 
     prior to the approval of a financial and activity plan by the 
     Afghanistan Resources Oversight Council (AROC) of the 
     Department of Defense: Provided, That the AROC must approve 
     the requirement and acquisition plan for any service 
     requirements in excess of $50,000,000 annually and any non-
     standard equipment requirements in excess of $100,000,000 
     using ASFF: Provided further, That the Department of Defense 
     must certify to the congressional defense committees that the 
     AROC has convened and approved a process for ensuring 
     compliance with the requirements in the preceding proviso and 
     accompanying report language for the ASFF.
       Sec. 9011.  Funds made available in this title to the 
     Department of Defense for operation and maintenance may be 
     used to purchase items having an investment unit cost of not 
     more than $250,000: Provided, That, upon determination by the 
     Secretary of Defense that such action is necessary to meet 
     the operational requirements of a Commander of a Combatant 
     Command engaged in contingency operations overseas, such 
     funds may be used to purchase items having an investment item 
     unit cost of not more than $500,000.
       Sec. 9012.  From funds made available to the Department of 
     Defense in this title under the heading ``Operation and 
     Maintenance, Air Force'', up to $140,000,000 may be used by 
     the Secretary of Defense, notwithstanding any other provision 
     of law, to support United States Government transition 
     activities in Iraq by funding the operations and activities 
     of the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq and security 
     assistance teams, including life support, transportation and 
     personal security, and facilities renovation and 
     construction, and site closeout activities prior to returning 
     sites to the Government of Iraq: Provided, That to the extent 
     authorized under the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2016, the operations and activities that may be 
     carried out by the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq 
     may, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, include 
     non-operational training activities in support of Iraqi 
     Minister of Defense and Counter Terrorism Service personnel 
     in an institutional environment to address capability gaps, 
     integrate processes relating to intelligence, air 
     sovereignty, combined arms, logistics and maintenance, and to 
     manage and integrate defense-related institutions: Provided 
     further, That not later than 30 days following the enactment 
     of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
     State shall submit to the congressional defense committees a 
     plan for transitioning any such training activities that they 
     determine are

[[Page 9230]]

     needed after the end of fiscal year 2016, to existing or new 
     contracts for the sale of defense articles or defense 
     services consistent with the provisions of the Arms Export 
     Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.): Provided further, That 
     not less than 15 days before making funds available pursuant 
     to the authority provided in this section, the Secretary of 
     Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees 
     a written notice containing a detailed justification and 
     timeline for the operations and activities of the Office of 
     Security Cooperation in Iraq at each site where such 
     operations and activities will be conducted during fiscal 
     year 2016: Provided further, That amounts made available by 
     this section are designated by the Congress for Overseas 
     Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to 
     section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985.
       Sec. 9013.  The Secretary of Defense is authorized, in 
     coordination with the Secretary of State, to provide 
     assistance, to the Government of Jordan for purposes of 
     supporting and enhancing efforts of the armed forces of 
     Jordan and to sustain security along the border of Jordan 
     with Syria and Iraq: Provided, That up to $600,000,000 of 
     funds appropriated by this Act for the Counterterrorism 
     Partnerships Fund may be used for activities authorized by 
     this section: Provided further, That the Secretary may accept 
     and retain contributions, including assistance in-kind, from 
     foreign governments to carry out activities as authorized by 
     this section and shall be credited to the appropriate 
     appropriations accounts, except that any funds so accepted by 
     the Secretary shall not be available for obligation until a 
     reprogramming action is submitted to the congressional 
     defense committees: Provided further, That the President and 
     the Secretary of Defense shall comply with the reporting 
     requirements in section 149(b)(1), (b)(2), (c), and (d) of 
     the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 (Public Law 
     113-164): Provided further, That nothing in this section 
     shall be construed to constitute a specific statutory 
     authorization for the introduction of the United States Armed 
     Forces into hostilities or into situations wherein 
     hostilities are clearly indicated by the circumstances, in 
     accordance with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution: 
     Provided further, That amounts made available by this section 
     are designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency 
     Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 
     251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 
     Control Act of 1985: Provided further, That the authority to 
     provide assistance under this section shall terminate on 
     September 30, 2016.
       Sec. 9014.  For ``Assistance and Sustainment to the 
     Military and National Security Forces of Ukraine'', 
     $200,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2016: 
     Provided, That such funds shall be available to the Secretary 
     of Defense, or the Secretary's designee, with the concurrence 
     of the Secretary of State, notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, for the purpose of providing assistance, 
     including training, equipment, lethal weapons of a defensive 
     nature, logistics support, supplies and services, and 
     sustainment to the military and national security forces of 
     Ukraine, for the purposes of securing the sovereign territory 
     of Ukraine against foreign aggressors, protecting and 
     defending the Ukrainian people from attacks posed by Russian-
     backed separatists, and promoting the conditions for a 
     negotiated settlement to end the conflict: Provided further, 
     That the authority to provide assistance under this heading 
     is in addition to any other authority to provide assistance 
     to Ukraine: Provided further, That contributions of funds for 
     the purposes provided herein from any person, foreign 
     government, or international organization may be credited to 
     this account, to remain available until expended: Provided 
     further, That the Secretary of Defense shall notify the 
     congressional defense committees in writing upon the receipt 
     and upon the obligation of any contribution, delineating the 
     sources and amounts of the funds received and the specific 
     use of such contributions: Provided further, That the 
     Secretary of Defense shall, not less than 15 days prior to 
     obligating funds provided under this heading, notify the 
     congressional defense committees in writing of the details of 
     any such obligation: Provided further, That the United States 
     may accept equipment procured using funds provided under this 
     heading in this or prior Acts that was transferred to the 
     security forces of Ukraine and returned by such forces to the 
     United States: Provided further, That equipment procured 
     using funds provided under this heading in this or prior 
     Acts, and not yet transferred to the military or National 
     Security Forces of Ukraine or returned by such forces to the 
     United States, may be treated as stocks of the Department of 
     Defense upon written notification to the congressional 
     defense committees: Provided further, That amounts made 
     available by this section are designated by the Congress for 
     Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided further, 
     That the authority to provide assistance under this section 
     shall terminate on September 30, 2016.
       Sec. 9015. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise 
     made available by this Act under the heading ``Operation and 
     Maintenance, Defense-Wide'' for payments under section 1233 
     of Public Law 110-181 for reimbursement to the Government of 
     Pakistan may be made available unless the Secretary of 
     Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, 
     certifies to the congressional defense committees that the 
     Government of Pakistan is--
       (1) cooperating with the United States in counterterrorism 
     efforts against the Haqqani Network, the Quetta Shura 
     Taliban, Lashkar e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Al Qaeda, and 
     other domestic and foreign terrorist organizations, including 
     taking steps to end support for such groups and prevent them 
     from basing and operating in Pakistan and carrying out cross 
     border attacks into neighboring countries;
       (2) not supporting terrorist activities against United 
     States or coalition forces in Afghanistan, and Pakistan's 
     military and intelligence agencies are not intervening extra-
     judicially into political and judicial processes in Pakistan;
       (3) dismantling improvised explosive device (IED) networks 
     and interdicting precursor chemicals used in the manufacture 
     of IEDs;
       (4) preventing the proliferation of nuclear-related 
     material and expertise;
       (5) implementing policies to protect judicial independence 
     and due process of law;
       (6) issuing visas in a timely manner for United States 
     visitors engaged in counterterrorism efforts and assistance 
     programs in Pakistan; and
       (7) providing humanitarian organizations access to 
     detainees, internally displaced persons, and other Pakistani 
     civilians affected by the conflict.
       (b) The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the 
     Secretary of State, may waive the restriction in subsection 
     (a) on a case-by-case basis by certifying in writing to the 
     congressional defense committees that it is in the national 
     security interest to do so: Provided, That if the Secretary 
     of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, 
     exercises such waiver authority, the Secretaries shall report 
     to the congressional defense committees on both the 
     justification for the waiver and on the requirements of this 
     section that the Government of Pakistan was not able to meet: 
     Provided further, That such report may be submitted in 
     classified form if necessary.


                 amendment offered by mr. poe of texas

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will report the amendment.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Strike subsection (b) of section 9015.

  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 303, the gentleman 
from Texas and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.

                              {time}  2130

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  This amendment is very simple. It makes it so the Secretary of 
Defense cannot waive the conditions that are in the bill on giving 
money to Pakistan.
  Since 2010, Congress has put conditions on our aid to Pakistan 
because Pakistan, frankly, can't be trusted. In 2011, Pakistan tipped 
off terrorists who had IED factories that the U.S. Government knew 
where they were. Pakistan tipped off the Haqqani network before the 
Pakistan military went to the tribal areas last year.
  We didn't tell Pakistan before we launched the raid that killed Osama 
bin Laden because, according to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, ``We 
just can't trust them.''
  This bill puts seven conditions on our aid to Pakistan. They are good 
conditions. Earlier this evening, about an hour ago, the ranking member 
mentioned these conditions for aid to Pakistan. They are commonsense 
things like, if Pakistan wants our money, it shouldn't support 
terrorist activity against the United States--imagine that--or the 
Pakistan Government should dismantle the IED factories run by 
terrorists in Pakistan. These IED factories have killed many of our 
troops.
  Here is the problem. Each year, we put conditions on our aid. The 
bill also gives the Secretary of Defense the authority to give the 
money to Pakistan even if Pakistan doesn't meet those conditions, and 
this year is no exception. Once again, in this bill, we give the 
Secretary of Defense the authority to waive the conditions Congress 
puts in the bill.

[[Page 9231]]

  Four of the last 5 years, Pakistan has failed to meet the conditions 
Congress has imposed on this type of legislation, and then the 
Secretary of Defense went ahead and gave the waiver, thus giving the 
money to Pakistan anyway.
  The administration has never not given Pakistan money because it 
failed to meet our conditions--conditions set by Congress--normal, 
commonsense conditions like: you don't get this money unless you meet 
these conditions.
  This amendment does one simple thing. It says: you meet the 
conditions, or you get no money from the United States; you don't give 
money to terrorists, or you get no money from the United States.
  It does not allow the Secretary of Defense to waive Congress' 
conditions and give the money anyway.
  That is what this legislation does. I would ask that the House 
support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to 
the gentleman's amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I oppose the amendment. This 
amendment would strike, as he said, the waiver that is used by the 
Secretary of Defense and also the Secretary of State. I think it would 
affect our national security.
  We need the cooperation of the Pakistanis. If we don't have any, we 
lose insight into the actions of those who would do our country harm.
  I oppose this amendment as potentially damaging to our national 
security, and I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), 
the ranking member.
  Mr. VISCLOSKY. I thank the chair for yielding, and I associate myself 
with his remarks.
  Again, I am not unsympathetic to the position the gentleman has 
raised, but I do not think we are in a very difficult relationship, 
that we restrain our flexibility to meet the moment.
  For that reason, I join the chairman in his opposition to the 
amendment.
  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?
  The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Texas has 2\1/2\ minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I thank both the ranking member and the chairman 
for their comments and their work on this legislation.
  My amendment says, to quote the chairman earlier, ``We mean what we 
say.'' We say as a Congress that, if we are going to give American 
money to Pakistan to help us, they can't do certain things with that 
money. They can't support terrorism. They can't allow IEDs to be built 
that are used to kill Americans. These conditions are commonsense, good 
ideas.
  In the past, we have done this before. If we mean what we say, then 
we should require these conditions before we give Pakistan American 
money; but the law has allowed that Secretary of Defense to waive 
Congress' conditions and give them our money anyway.
  Pakistan has proven they didn't meet the conditions in 4 years of the 
last 5. They got the money anyway because the Secretary waived the rule 
of law or waived our conditions.
  This bill does something very simple. It says: Congress says there 
are certain rules to get American money; you follow the rules, or you 
don't get the money. Nobody can waive the condition and give you a pass 
and give you American money anyway.
  I would ask that this amendment be adopted, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).
  The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further 
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas will 
be postponed.


 Vacating Demand for Recorded Vote on Amendment Offered by Mr. Rothfus

  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Chairman, I commend Chairman Frelinghuysen for the 
work that he has done on this.
  I understand that I had an amendment earlier today. There had been 
ongoing discussions about that amendment.
  Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my request for a 
recorded vote on my amendment to the end that the amendment stands 
disposed of by the voice vote thereon.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.
  The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the request for a recorded vote 
is withdrawn. Accordingly, the noes have it and the amendment is not 
adopted.
  There was no objection.
  The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will read.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 9016.  In addition to amounts otherwise made available 
     in this Act, $500,000,000 is hereby appropriated to the 
     Department of Defense and made available for transfer only to 
     the operations and maintenance, military personnel, and 
     procurement accounts, to improve the intelligence, 
     surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities of the 
     Department of Defense: Provided, That the transfer authority 
     provided in this section is in addition to any other transfer 
     authority provided elsewhere in this Act: Provided further, 
     That not later than 30 days prior to exercising the transfer 
     authority provided in this section, the Secretary of Defense 
     shall submit a report to the congressional defense committees 
     on the proposed uses of these funds: Provided further, That 
     the funds provided in this section may not be transferred to 
     any program, project, or activity specifically limited or 
     denied by this Act:  Provided further, That amounts made 
     available by this section are designated by the Congress for 
     Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism 
     pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget 
     and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided further, 
     That the authority to provide assistance under this section 
     shall terminate on September 30, 2016.

                     (including transfer of funds)

       Sec. 9017.  In addition to amounts appropriated in title II 
     or otherwise made available in this Act, $2,500,000,000 is 
     hereby appropriated to the Department of Defense and made 
     available for transfer to the operation and maintenance 
     accounts of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force 
     (including National Guard and Reserve) for purposes of 
     improving military readiness: Provided further, That the 
     transfer authority provided under this provision is in 
     addition to any other transfer authority provided elsewhere 
     in this Act.
       Sec. 9018.  None of the funds made available by this Act 
     may be used with respect to Syria in contravention of the War 
     Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1541 et seq.), including for the 
     introduction of United States armed or military forces into 
     hostilities in Syria, into situations in Syria where imminent 
     involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the 
     circumstances, or into Syrian territory, airspace, or waters 
     while equipped for combat, in contravention of the 
     congressional consultation and reporting requirements of 
     sections 3 and 4 of that law (50 U.S.C. 1542 and 1543).

                 TITLE X--ADDITIONAL GENERAL PROVISIONS

       Sec. 10001. (a) Congress finds that--
       (1) the United States has been engaged in military 
     operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant 
     (ISIL) for more than 8 months;
       (2) President Obama submitted an authorization for the use 
     of military force against ISIL in February 2015; and
       (3) under article 1, section 8 of the Constitution, 
     Congress has the authority to ``declare war''.
       (b) Therefore, Congress has a constitutional duty to debate 
     and determine whether or not to authorize the use of military 
     force against ISIL.

                       spending reduction account

       Sec. 10002.  The amount by which the applicable allocation 
     of new budget authority made by the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives under section 
     302(b) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 exceeds the 
     amount of proposed new budget authority is $0.

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now 
rise.
  The motion was agreed to.
  Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. 
Womack) having assumed the chair, Mr. Carter of Georgia, Acting Chair 
of the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported 
that

[[Page 9232]]

that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2685) 
making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2016, and for other purposes, had come to no 
resolution thereon.

                          ____________________