[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9740-9742]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           TEXT OF AMENDMENTS

  SA 2047. Mr. McCAIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 1974 proposed by Mr. McCain to the bill H.R. 1735, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 3, strike lines 13 through 20 and insert the 
     following:
       (5) implement a strategy to provide for the safe, secure, 
     and permanent relocation of Camp Liberty residents that 
     includes a relocation plan, including a detailed outline of 
     the steps that would need to be taken by recipient countries, 
     the United States, the United Nations High Commissioner for 
     Refugees (UNHCR), and Camp residents to relocate the 
     residents to other countries;
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2048. Mr. JOHNSON submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 1463 proposed by Mr. McCain to the bill H.R. 1735, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR AFGHANISTAN 
                   RECONSTRUCTION.

       It is the sense of Congress that the appointment of a Lead 
     Inspector General for Operation Freedom's Sentinel by the 
     Chair of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and 
     Efficiency pursuant to section 8L of the Inspector General 
     Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is not intended to limit or 
     otherwise affect the authority and responsibilities of the 
     Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan 
     Reconstruction (commonly known as ``SIGAR'') as established 
     by section 1229 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
     Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110-81; 122 Stat. 378).
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2049. Mr. JOHNSON submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 1463 proposed by Mr. McCain to the bill H.R. 1735, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1085. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING NOMINATING A PERMANENT 
                   INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
                   AFFAIRS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) There are 4 Presidentially-appointed Inspector General 
     vacancies for which a nomination is not pending before the 
     Senate.
       (2) It is vital that Offices of Inspectors General remain 
     independent.
       (3) In the absence of a permanent Inspector General, an 
     Office of Inspector General is run by an acting Inspector 
     General who, no matter how qualified or well-intentioned, is 
     not granted the same protections afforded to an Inspector 
     General who is confirmed by the Senate, as the acting 
     Inspector General--
       (A) is not truly independent;
       (B) may be removed by the head of the agency at any time;
       (C) only serves temporarily and does not drive the policy 
     of the Office; and
       (D) is at a greater risk of compromising the work of the 
     Office to appease the agency or the President.
       (4) One of the current Presidentially-appointed Inspector 
     General vacancies is the Inspector General of the Department 
     of Veterans Affairs, which has been vacant since December 31, 
     2013.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the President should nominate a permanent Inspector General 
     of the Department of Veterans Affairs not later than 30 days 
     after the date of enactment of this Act.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2050. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 1859 submitted by Mr. Menendez and intended to be 
proposed to the amendment SA 1463 proposed by Mr. McCain to the bill 
H.R. 1735, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for 
military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       Beginning of page 1 of the amendment, strike line 3 and all 
     that follows through page 2, line 21, and insert the 
     following:

     SEC. 1274. REPORT ON THE SECURITY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE 
                   UNITED STATES AND THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense and the 
     Secretary of State shall jointly submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report on the security 
     relationship between the United States and the Republic of 
     Cyprus.
       (b) Elements.--The report required under subsection (a) 
     shall include the following elements:
       (1) A description of ongoing military and security 
     cooperation between the United States and the Republic of 
     Cyprus.
       (2) A discussion of potential steps for enhancing the 
     bilateral security relationship between the United States and 
     Cyprus, including steps to enhance the military and security 
     capabilities of the Republic of Cyprus.
       (3) An analysis of the effect on the bilateral security 
     relationship of the United States policy to deny applications 
     for licenses and other approvals for the export of defense 
     articles and defense services to the armed forces of Cyprus.
       (4) An analysis of the extent to which such United States 
     policy is consistent with overall United States security and 
     policy objectives in the region.
       (5) An assessment of the potential impact of lifting such 
     United States policy.
       (c) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate 
     congressional committees'' means--
       (1) the congressional defense committees; and
       (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and 
     the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2051. Mr. CASEY (for himself and Mr. Inhofe) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 1463 proposed by Mr. 
McCain to the bill H.R. 1735, to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
year 2016 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for 
military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of 
Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, 
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the end of section 1533, add the following:
       (f) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the Department of Defense should increase efforts to combat 
     the use by the terrorist group the Islamic State of Iraq and 
     the Levant (ISIL) of improvised explosive devices and the 
     illicit smuggling of improvised explosive device precursor 
     materials.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2052. Mr. BOOZMAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 1669 submitted by Mr. Boozman (for himself, Mr. 
Donnelly, and Mr. Toomey) and intended to be proposed to the amendment 
SA 1463 proposed by Mr. McCain to the bill H.R. 1735, to authorize 
appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for military activities of the 
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense 
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel 
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       Beginning on page 1, strike line 2 and all that follows 
     through page 2, line 13, and insert the following:

     SEC. 1085. PROVISION OF STATUS UNDER LAW BY HONORING CERTAIN 
                   MEMBERS OF THE RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMED 
                   FORCES AS VETERANS.

       Any person who is entitled under chapter 1223 of title 10, 
     United States Code, to retired pay for nonregular service or, 
     but for age, would be entitled under such chapter to retired 
     pay for nonregular service shall be honored as a veteran but 
     shall not be entitled to any benefit by reason of this 
     section.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2053. Mr. BARRASSO (for himself and Mr. Enzi) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 2044 submitted by Mr. 
Barrasso (for himself and Mr. Enzi) and intended to be proposed to the 
amendment SA 1463 proposed by Mr. McCain to the bill H.R. 1735, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes;

[[Page 9741]]

which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle E of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1049. USE OF THE NATIONAL GUARD FOR SUPPORT OF CIVILIAN 
                   FIREFIGHTING ACTIVITIES.

       The Secretary of Defense may authorize members and units of 
     the National Guard performing duty under section 328(b), 
     502(f), or 709(a) of title 32, United States Code, or on 
     active duty under title 10, United States Code, to support 
     firefighting operations, missions, and activities, including 
     aerial firefighting employment of the Mobile Airborne 
     Firefighting System (MAFFS), undertaken in support of a 
     request from the National Interagency Fire Center or another 
     Federal agency.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2054. Mr. INHOFE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 1735, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2016 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place insert the following:

     REPORT AND ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL COSTS AND BENEFITS OF 
                   PRIVATIZING DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE COMMISSARIES.

       (a) In General.--Not later than February 1, 2016, the 
     Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
     Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
     report assessing the viability of privatizing, in whole or in 
     part, the Department of Defense commissary system. The report 
     shall be so submitted to Congress before the development of 
     any plans or pilot program to privatize defense commissaries 
     or the defense commissary system.
       (b) Elements.--The assessment required by subsection (a) 
     shall include, at a minimum, the following:
       (1) A methodology for defining the total number and 
     locations of commissaries.
       (2) An evaluation of commissary use by location in the 
     following beneficiary categories:
       (A) Pay grades E-1 through E-4.
       (B) Pay grades E-5 through E-7.
       (C) Pay grades E-8 and E-9.
       (D) Pay grades O-1 through O-3.
       (E) Pay grades O-4 through O-6.
       (F) Pay grades O-7 through O-10.
       (G) Military retirees.
       (3) An evaluation of commissary use in locations outside 
     the continental United States and in remote and isolated 
     locations in the continental United States when compared with 
     other locations.
       (4) An evaluation of the cost of commissary operations 
     during fiscal years 2009 through 2014.
       (5) An assessment of potential savings and efficiencies to 
     be achieved through implementation of some or all of 
     recommendations of the Military Compensation and Retirement 
     Modernization Commission.
       (6) A description and evaluation of the strategy of the 
     Defense Commissary Agency for pricing products sold at 
     commissaries.
       (7) A description and evaluation of the transportation 
     strategy of the Defense Commissary Agency for products sold 
     at commissaries.
       (8) A description and evaluation of the formula of the 
     Defense Commissary Agency for calculating savings for its 
     customers as a result of its pricing strategy.
       (9) An evaluation of the average savings per household 
     garnered by commissary use.
       (10) A description and evaluation of the use of private 
     contractors and vendors as part of the defense commissary 
     system.
       (11) An assessment of costs or savings, and potential 
     impacts to patrons and the Government, of privatizing the 
     defense commissary system, including potential increased use 
     of Government assistance programs.
       (12) A description and assessment of potential barriers to 
     privatization of the defense commissary system.
       (13) An assessment of the extent to which patron savings 
     would remain after the privatization of the defense 
     commissary system.
       (14) An assessment of the impact of any recommended changes 
     to the operation of the defense commissary system on 
     commissary patrons, including morale and retention.
       (15) An assessment of the actual interest of major grocery 
     retailers in the management and operations of all, or part, 
     of the existing defense commissary system.
       (16) An assessment of the impact of privatization of the 
     defense commissary system on off-installation prices of 
     similar products available in the system.
       (17) An assessment of the impact of privatization of the 
     defense commissary system, and conversion of the Defense 
     Commissary Agency workforce to non-appropriated fund status, 
     on employment of military family members, particularly with 
     respect to pay, benefits, and job security.
       (18) An assessment of the impact of privatization of the 
     defense commissary system on Exchanges and Morale, Welfare 
     and Recreation (MWR) quality-of-life programs.
       (c) Use of Previous Studies.--The Secretary shall consult 
     previous studies and surveys on matters appropriate to the 
     report required by subsection (a), including, but not limited 
     to, the following:
       (1) The January 2015 Final Report of the Military 
     Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission.
       (2) The 2014 Military Family Lifestyle Survey Comprehensive 
     Report.
       (3) The 2013 Living Patterns Survey.
       (4) The report required by section 634 of the Carl Levin 
     and Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon National Defense Authorization 
     Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113-291) on the 
     management, food, and pricing options for the defense 
     commissary system.
       (d) Comptroller General Assessment of Report.--Not later 
     than May 1, 2016, the Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of 
     the Senate and the House of Representatives a report setting 
     forth an assessment by the Comptroller General of the report 
     required by subsection (a).
       Section 652 of this act is null and void.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2055. Ms. BALDWIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 2042 submitted by Ms. Baldwin and intended to be 
proposed to the amendment SA 1463 proposed by Mr. McCain to the bill 
H.R. 1735, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for 
military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 2, line 15, insert ``and makes a recommendation or 
     otherwise suggests corrective action'' after ``General''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2056. Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Mr. Corker) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 1463 proposed by Mr. 
McCain to the bill H.R. 1735, to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
year 2016 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for 
military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of 
Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, 
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

       At the end of title XII, add the following:

               Subtitle H--Asia-Pacific Maritime Security

     SEC. 1291. MARITIME SECURITY CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM.

       (a) Program Authorized.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of State is authorized, 
     using funds transferred pursuant to subsection (b), to 
     provide assistance for the purpose of increasing maritime 
     security and domain awareness for countries in the Asia-
     Pacific region.
       (2) Designation of assistance.--Assistance provided by the 
     Secretary under this section shall be known as the ``Maritime 
     Security Capacity Building Program'' (in this section 
     referred to as the ``Program'').
       (3) Construction of limitations.--The Secretary may provide 
     assistance under this section without regard to any other 
     provision of law, other than section 620J of the Foreign 
     Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2378d)).
       (b) Transfer Authority.--The Secretary of Defense may 
     transfer, from amounts authorized to be appropriated for the 
     Department of Defense by this Act, $50,000,000 to the 
     Secretary of State for the Program. Any amount so transferred 
     shall be deposited in the ``Foreign Military Finance'' 
     account for purposes of the Program.
       (c) Eligible Countries.--In selecting countries in the 
     Asia-Pacific region to which assistance is to be provided 
     under the Program, the Secretary of State shall prioritize 
     the provision of assistance to countries that will contribute 
     to the achievement of following objectives:
       (1) Retaining unhindered access to and use of international 
     waterways in the Asia-Pacific region that are critical to 
     ensuring the security and free flow of commerce and achieving 
     United States national security objectives.
       (2) Improving maritime domain awareness in the Asia-Pacific 
     region.
       (3) Countering piracy in the Asia-Pacific region.
       (4) Disrupting illicit maritime trafficking activities and 
     other forms of maritime trafficking activity in the Asia-
     Pacific that directly benefit organizations that have been 
     determined to be a security threat to the United States.
       (5) Enhancing the maritime capabilities of a country or 
     regional organization to respond to emerging threats to 
     maritime security in the Asia-Pacific region.
       (d) Priorities for Assistance.--In carrying out the purpose 
     of the Program, the Secretary of State--

[[Page 9742]]

       (1) shall place priority on assistance to enhance the 
     maritime security capabilities of the military or security 
     forces of countries in the Asia-Pacific region that have 
     maritime missions and the government agencies responsible for 
     such forces; and
       (2) may provide assistance to a country in the Asia-Pacific 
     region to enhance the capabilities of that country, or of a 
     regional organization that includes that country, to conduct 
     one or more of the following:
       (A) Maritime intelligence, surveillance, and 
     reconnaissance.
       (B) Littoral and port security.
       (C) Coast guard operations.
       (D) Command and control.
       (E) Management and oversight of maritime activities.
       (e) Annual Report.--The Secretary of State shall submit to 
     the appropriate committees of Congress each year a report on 
     the status of the provision of equipment, training, supplies 
     or other services provided pursuant to the Program during the 
     preceding year.
       (f) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee of Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
     Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     Senate; and
       (2) the Committee of Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
     Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives.

     SEC. 1292. REPORT ON PLANS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF FREEDOM OF 
                   OPERATIONS IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS AND AIRSPACE 
                   IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC MARITIME DOMAINS.

       (a) Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
     shall, with the concurrence with the Secretary of State, 
     submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report (in 
     classified form) setting forth a plan, for each of the six-
     month, one-year, and three-year periods beginning on the date 
     of such report, for Freedom of Navigation Assertions, Shows 
     of Force, bilateral and multilateral military exercises, Port 
     Calls, Training, and assistance intended to enhance the 
     maritime capabilities, respond to emerging threats, and 
     maintain freedom of operations in international waters and 
     airspace in the Asia-Pacific maritime domains.
       (b) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee of Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
     Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     Senate; and
       (2) the Committee of Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
     Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives.

     SEC. 1293. SOUTH CHINA SEA INITIATIVE.

       Notwithstanding any provision of section 1261, any 
     assistance provided pursuant to subparagraph (A) of 
     subsection (a)(1) of that section, or training provided 
     pursuant to subparagraph (B) of that subsection, shall be 
     provided in manner consistent with current law.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2057. Mr. SANDERS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 1463 proposed by Mr. McCain to the bill H.R. 1735, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle A of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1005. INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
                   AUDIT AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PROCESSES.

       (a) Independent Assessment.--
       (1) Assessment required.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
     obtain from an entity independent of the Department of 
     Defense selected by the Secretary for purposes of this 
     section an assessment of the audit and financial management 
     processes of the Department.
       (2) Composition of assessment team.--The assessment team 
     used by the entity selected by the Secretary pursuant to 
     paragraph (1) to conduct the assessment required pursuant to 
     that paragraph shall be composed of individuals with 
     extensive experience in audit and financial management of 
     private sector and Federal agencies who are not currently 
     participating in Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness 
     (FIAR) activities for the Department or affiliated with 
     organizations who are supporting such activities.
       (3) Elements.--The assessment required pursuant to 
     paragraph (1) shall include the following:
       (A) A comparison of the audit and financial management 
     processes of the Department with the audit and financial 
     management processes of other appropriate Federal agencies, 
     and appropriate private sector entities, including the 
     qualifications of officials responsible for audit oversight 
     and compliance, for purposes of identifying best practices to 
     be adopted by the Department for its audit and financial 
     management processes.
       (B) An analysis of the progress and investments made by the 
     Department under its Financial Improvement and Audit 
     Readiness Plan, and a comparison of such progress and 
     investment with the progress and investments made by other 
     Federal agencies and appropriate private sector entities in 
     audit and financial management processes, for purposes of 
     determining the extent to which Department progress on 
     financial management and audit readiness is consistent with 
     results achieved by other appropriate Federal agencies and 
     appropriate private sector entities.
       (C) An identification of recommendations on policies and 
     management and other activities that could be undertaken by 
     the Department to enhance its audit and financial management 
     processes in order to obtain and maintain clean audit 
     opinions of its financial statement as effectively and 
     efficiently as possible.
       (4) Access to information.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
     the entity conducting the assessment required by paragraph 
     (1) has access to all the information, data, and resources 
     necessary to conduct the assessment in a timely manner.
       (5) Report.--The Secretary shall require the entity 
     conducting the assessment required by paragraph (1) to submit 
     to the Secretary and the congressional defense committees a 
     report on the assessment by not later than one year after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act.
       (b) Transmittal.--Not later than 60 days after receiving 
     the report described in subsection (a)(5), the Secretary 
     shall transmit the report to Congress, together with the 
     following:
       (1) An analysis by the Secretary of the findings and 
     recommendations of the report.
       (2) A description of the response of the Department to such 
     finding and recommendations.
       (3) Such other matters with respect to the audit and 
     financial management processes of the Department as the 
     Secretary considers appropriate.

                          ____________________