[House Report 118-121]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


   118th Congress}                                  {Report
    1st Session  }      HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES    {118-121
                                                    
                              
                                                       
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     




            DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2024

                               ----------                              

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

                      COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

                             together with

                             MINORITY VIEWS

                        [to accompany h.r. 4365]




 June 27, 2023.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed
              
              
              
              

            DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2024
            
            
            
            
            
            
            
118th Congress }                                                 { Report
 1st Session   }         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                { 118-121
                                                                
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     



            DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2024

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

                      COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

                             together with

                             MINORITY VIEWS

                        [to accompany h.r. 4365]




 June 27, 2023.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed
              
              
                              ______
                           
              U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 
 62-643          WASHINGTON : 2023
             
              
              
              
              
                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Bill Totals......................................................     1
Committee Budget Review Process..................................     3
Introduction.....................................................     3
Definition of Program, Project, and Activity.....................     5
Reprogramming Guidance...........................................     6
Funding Increases................................................     6
Congressional Special Interest Items.............................     6
Classified Annex.................................................     7
Committee Recommendations by Major Category......................     7
  Active, Reserve, and National Guard Military Personnel.........     7
  Operation and Maintenance......................................     7
  Procurement....................................................     7
  Research, Development, Test and Evaluation.....................     8
  Defense Health Program.........................................     8
Pay Raise for Military Personnel.................................     9
Civilian Workforce Optimization..................................    10
Civilian Pay Budget Justification Materials......................    10
Multiyear Procurement of Certain Munitions.......................    10
Navy Littoral Combat Ships.......................................    11
Marine Corps Amphibious Ships....................................    11
Divestments and Decommissionings.................................    12
F 0935 Flight Sciences Aircraft..................................    12
Hypersonics......................................................    12
Accelerating Change with a Near-Term Hedge.......................    13
Space Force Mission Area Budget Exhibit..........................    14
Cyber Command Budget Presentation................................    15
Climate Change...................................................    15
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.................................    15
Congressional Liaison Support....................................    16
Cybersecurity Risks from Commercial Information Technology.......    16
Small Business...................................................    17
Reporting Requirements...........................................    17
Contract Personnel Budget Justification Materials................    17
Report on National Security Risks from Certain Land Purchases....    18
TITLE I. MILITARY PERSONNEL......................................    19
  Military Personnel Overview....................................    21
  Summary of End Strength........................................    21
  Overall Active End Strength....................................    21
  Overall Selected Reserve End Strength..........................    21
  Reprogramming Guidance for Military Personnel Accounts.........    22
  Military Personnel Special Interest Items......................    22
  End Strength...................................................    22
  Recruitment....................................................    23
  COVID 0919 Vaccination Policy..................................    23
  ``Extremism'' in the Military..................................    24
  Release of Personally Identifiable Information.................    24
  Suicide Prevention.............................................    25
  Sexual Assault Prevention......................................    25
  Child Abuse Prevention.........................................    25
  Blended Retirement System......................................    26
  Portability of Professional Licenses of Servicemembers and 
    their Spouses................................................    26
  Military Spouse Employment.....................................    26
  Minority Outreach and Officer Accessions.......................    26
  Military Personnel, Army.......................................    26
  Military Personnel, Navy.......................................    29
  Military Personnel, Marine Corps...............................    32
  Military Personnel, Air Force..................................    35
  Military Personnel, Space Force................................    38
  Reserve Personnel, Army........................................    41
  Reserve Personnel, Navy........................................    43
  Reserve Personnel, Marine Corps................................    45
  Reserve Personnel, Air Force...................................    47
  National Guard Personnel, Army.................................    49
  National Guard Personnel, Air Force............................    51
TITLE II. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE..............................    53
  Reprogramming Guidance for Operation and Maintenance Accounts..    55
  Reprogramming Guidance for Special Operations Command..........    56
  Operation and Maintenance Special Interest Items...............    56
  Operation and Maintenance Budget Execution Data................    56
  Restoring Readiness............................................    57
  Facilities Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization..........    57
  Adverse Impact of Offshore Wind Sites..........................    57
  Meals Ready-to-Eat War Reserve.................................    58
  Tribal Consultation............................................    58
  Indian Financing Act...........................................    58
  Financial Audit................................................    58
  Improper Payments..............................................    58
  AbilityOne Compliance..........................................    59
  Advertising....................................................    59
  Childcare......................................................    59
  Defense Commissaries...........................................    59
  Food Assistance Programs.......................................    60
  Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Mitigation.................    60
  Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Cleanup Cost Reporting.....    60
  Aqueous Film Forming Foam......................................    61
  Remediation of Formerly Used Defense Sites.....................    61
  Vieques and Culebra............................................    61
  Maritime Capabilities in Polar Regions.........................    62
  Operation and Maintenance, Army................................    62
    Ultra-Lightweight Camouflage Net Systems.....................    66
    Mission Training Complexes...................................    66
  Operation and Maintenance, Navy................................    66
    Ship Maintenance.............................................    70
    Airframe Maintenance.........................................    70
    Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.........................    70
    Naval Station Mayport........................................    70
    Contract Air Services........................................    70
  Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps........................    71
  Operation and Maintenance, Air Force...........................    74
    Pilot Shortfall..............................................    79
    Refueling Capabilities for Israel............................    79
    Airlift Readiness Account....................................    79
    Cyber Mission Assurance......................................    79
  Operation and Maintenance, Space Force.........................    79
  Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide........................    81
    Defense Human Resources Activity.............................    86
    Fourth Estate Human Resource Management......................    86
    Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility..........................    86
    Impact Aid Eligibility.......................................    87
    Thunderdome..................................................    87
    Internet Operations Management...............................    88
    Improving Cybersecurity Posture..............................    88
    Civilian Cyber Workforce.....................................    88
    Quarterly Reports on Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility.......    89
    Abbey Gate...................................................    89
    Quarterly Briefings on Deployments of United States Armed 
      Forces.....................................................    89
    Foreign Bases................................................    89
    Defense Security Cooperation Agency Programs.................    89
    Burden-Sharing for Ukraine...................................    92
    Management of Funds for Ukraine..............................    93
    Excess Defense Articles......................................    93
    Military Information Support Operations......................    93
    Readiness and Environmental Protection Initiative............    94
    Student Internships..........................................    94
    Insider Threat...............................................    94
  Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund..............................    94
  Operation and Maintenance, Army Reserve........................    95
    Reserve Component Mandatory Training.........................    97
  Operation and Maintenance, Navy Reserve........................    97
  Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps Reserve................    99
  Operation and Maintenance, Air Force Reserve...................   101
  Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard.................   103
    Virtual Language Training....................................   106
  Operation and Maintenance, Air National Guard..................   106
    Tactical Air Control Party Divestiture.......................   108
    Combat Readiness Training Centers............................   108
  United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces............   108
  Environmental Restoration, Army................................   108
  Environmental Restoration, Navy................................   108
  Environmental Restoration, Air Force...........................   108
  Environmental Restoration, Defense-Wide........................   109
  Environmental Restoration, Formerly Used Defense Sites.........   109
  Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid.................   109
  Cooperative Threat Reduction Account...........................   109
  Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Development Account   110
TITLE III. PROCUREMENT...........................................   111
  Reprogramming Guidance for Acquisition Accounts................   113
  Funding Increases..............................................   113
  Procurement Special Interest Items.............................   113
  Munitions Stock................................................   113
  Rocket Motor Supply............................................   114
  Advanced Lightweight Stainless Steel for Ammunition............   114
  Aircraft Procurement, Army.....................................   114
    CH 0947 Block II.............................................   117
  Missile Procurement, Army......................................   117
  Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army.......   120
  Procurement of Ammunition, Army................................   123
  Other Procurement, Army........................................   126
    Infantry Squad Vehicle.......................................   133
    Family of All Terrain Cranes.................................   133
    High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles Antilock Brake 
      System/Electronic Stability Control........................   133
    Joint Light Tactical Vehicle Explosively Formed Penetrator 
      Kits.......................................................   133
  Aircraft Procurement, Navy.....................................   134
    F/A 0918 Super Hornet Aircraft...............................   138
    Navy Adversary Aircraft for Training Purposes................   138
  Weapons Procurement, Navy......................................   138
  Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps...............   141
  Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy..............................   144
    Expeditionary Medical Ship...................................   147
  Other Procurement, Navy........................................   147
  Procurement, Marine Corps......................................   154
  Aircraft Procurement, Air Force................................   158
    F 0922 Sensor Enhancements...................................   163
    C 0940 Aircraft..............................................   163
    Repaired and Refurbished Aerospace Bearings..................   163
    C 09130H Engine Upgrades.....................................   163
  Missile Procurement, Air Force.................................   164
  Procurement of Ammunition, Air Force...........................   167
  Other Procurement, Air Force...................................   169
  Procurement, Space Force.......................................   174
    National Security Space Launch...............................   177
  Procurement, Defense-Wide......................................   177
    Accelerating the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative 
      Technologies...............................................   181
    Munitions Stock Domestic Production of Titanium Sponge.......   181
    Chinese Plastic..............................................   181
    Defense Supply Chain Packaging Material......................   182
    Crystals for Optical Components..............................   182
  Defense Production Act Purchases...............................   182
  National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account...................   182
TITLE IV. RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION.............   184
  Reprogramming Guidance for Acquisition Accounts................   186
  Funding Increases..............................................   186
  Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Special Interest 
    Items........................................................   186
  Commercial Contracting Software................................   186
  Autonomous Modeling and Simulation.............................   187
  Space-Based Surveillance for Northern Command and Southern 
    Command......................................................   187
  Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army...............   187
    Cyberspace Electro-Magnetic Activities.......................   201
    CROWS 09AHD..................................................   201
    Engineered Repair Materials for Roadways.....................   201
    Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing..............................   201
  Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy...............   202
    Automated Test and Re-test...................................   214
    Large Diameter Unmanned Undersea Vehicles....................   214
    Autonomous Surface and Underwater Dual-Modality Vehicles.....   214
    Coastal Environmental Research...............................   214
  Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force..........   215
    Vanguards....................................................   229
    Fighter Aircraft Engine Development..........................   229
    Collaborative Combat Aircraft................................   230
    Tanker Recapitalization......................................   230
  Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Space Force........   231
    Space Force Acquisition......................................   236
    Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications.................   236
    Commercial Satellite Communications..........................   237
  Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide.......   237
    People: The Non-Traditional Innovation Fielding Enterprise...   252
    Portfolio: Defining and Resourcing a Hedge...................   252
    Processes: Speed, Nexus, and Agile Requirements..............   253
    Practices: Flexibility and Accountability....................   254
    Digital Transformation.......................................   254
    Digital Tools for Science and Technology Investment..........   255
    Office of Strategic Capital..................................   256
    Advanced Air Mobility........................................   256
    Microreactors for Natural Disaster Response Efforts..........   256
    Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances..........................   257
    Biotechnology Manufacturing Institutes.......................   257
    Alternative Battery Chemistry................................   257
    Secure Communications........................................   258
    Loitering Munitions..........................................   258
    Drone Technologies...........................................   258
    National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity.....   258
  Operational Test and Evaluation, Defense.......................   258
TITLE V. REVOLVING AND MANAGEMENT FUNDS..........................   260
  Defense Working Capital Funds..................................   260
  National Defense Stockpile Transaction Fund....................   260
TITLE VI. OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS...................   261
  Defense Health Program.........................................   261
    Reprogramming Guidance for the Defense Health Program........   264
    Carryover....................................................   264
    Medical Research.............................................   265
    Per-Reviewed Spinal Cord Research Program....................   265
    Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research Program........................   265
    Metastatic Cancer Research...................................   266
    Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program....................   267
    Combat Readiness Medical Research Program....................   267
    Peer-Reviewed Toxic Exposures Research Program...............   268
    Next-Generation Viral Vectors................................   268
    Rapid Deployable Synthetic Vaccine Development...............   268
    Nuclear Medicine.............................................   268
    Novel Strategies to Prevent Infection in Severe Fractures....   269
    Long Covid and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue 
      Syndrome...................................................   269
    Musculoskeletal Injuries.....................................   269
    Peer-Reviewed Arthritis Research.............................   270
    Chiropractic Care............................................   270
    Electronic Health Records....................................   270
    Military Health System Reform: Strategy and Integration Plan.   271
    Military Medical Manpower....................................   271
    Mental Health Professionals and Training.....................   272
    Non-Urgent Mental Health Assessments.........................   272
    National Intrepid Center of Excellence.......................   273
    Pharmaceutical Supply Chain..................................   273
    Community Pharmacies.........................................   273
    National Disaster Medical System Pilot and Joint Civilian-
      Military Medical Surge Capacity............................   274
    Space Force Health and Fitness Pilot.........................   274
    Human Performance Optimization...............................   274
  Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction, Defense.............   275
  Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense.........   275
    Comptroller General Review of Department of Defense 
      Instructions...............................................   277
  Office of the Inspector General................................   277
    End-Use Monitoring for Ukraine...............................   278
    Enhanced Ukraine Oversight...................................   278
TITLE VII. RELATED AGENCIES......................................   279
  National and Military Intelligence Programs....................   279
  Classified Annex...............................................   279
  Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System 
    Fund.........................................................   279
  Intelligence Community Management Account......................   279
TITLE VIII. GENERAL PROVISIONS...................................   280
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REPORTING REQUIREMENTS..................   288
  Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives..........   288
  Program Duplication............................................   289
  Transfer of Funds..............................................   289
  Rescissions....................................................   291
  Disclosure of Earmarks and Congressionally Directed Spending 
    Items........................................................   291
  Changes in the Application of Existing Law.....................   292
  Appropriations Not Authorized by Law...........................   302
  Comparison with the Budget Resolution..........................   303
  Five-Year Outlay Projections...................................   303
  Financial Assistance to State and Local Governments............   303
  Committee Hearings.............................................   303
  Full Committee Votes...........................................   305
  Minority Views.................................................   326



118th Congress }                                               {  Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session   }                                                { 118-121

======================================================================



 
            DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2024

                                _______
                                

 June 27, 2023.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

   Mr. Calvert of California, from the Committee on Appropriations, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

                             MINORITY VIEWS

                        [To accompany H.R. 4365]

    The Committee on Appropriations submits the following 
report in explanation of the accompanying bill making 
appropriations for the Department of Defense, and for other 
purposes, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024.

                              BILL TOTALS

    Appropriations for most military functions of the 
Department of Defense are provided for in the accompanying bill 
for fiscal year 2024. This bill does not provide appropriations 
for military construction, military family housing, civil 
defense, and military nuclear warheads, for which requirements 
are considered in connection with other appropriations Acts.
    The fiscal year 2024 President's budget request for 
activities funded in the Department of Defense Appropriations 
Act totals $826,162,133,000 in new discretionary budget 
obligational authority.


                    COMMITTEE BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS

    During its review of the fiscal year 2024 President's 
budget request and execution of appropriations from prior 
fiscal years, the Subcommittee on Defense held six hearings and 
seven classified sessions during the period of February 2023 to 
April 2023. Hearings were held in open session, except when the 
security classification of the material to be discussed 
presented no alternative but to conduct those hearings in 
executive or closed session.

                              INTRODUCTION

    The Committee recommendation for fiscal year 2024 
Department of Defense discretionary funding is 
$826,448,000,000, which exceeds the President's budget request 
by $285,867,000.
    Despite the late submission of the request, this bill 
maintains the Committee's long-standing tradition of conducting 
a thorough, bipartisan evaluation of the budget request to 
ensure the appropriate use of valuable taxpayer funds. The 
Committee's recommendation supports full funding for many of 
the Department's top priorities, such as the B-21 bomber, the 
Columbia-class submarine, and a pay increase for uniformed 
personnel.
    While the Committee appreciates the budget request's 
increase in funding for the Department, it is concerning that 
the Administration has poorly prioritized funds within the 
request to include proposals for climate change initiatives, 
partisan policies that may harm recruitment, and the use of 
legacy business systems and processes. Further, prior to 
submission of the President's budget request, the Committee 
expressly communicated to Department of Defense officials its 
expectation of clear and adequate justification for the funding 
requested. Unfortunately, the Department failed to heed this 
direction for many of its programs prior to the Committee 
drafting its recommendation. Therefore, the Committee 
recommends approximately $20,000,000,000 in program reductions, 
which includes reductions due to schedule delays, unjustified 
cost increases, underexecution, or other programmatic 
adjustments. The Committee's recommendation also includes 
prohibitions on funding for programs that do not directly 
increase military readiness or lethality. It is the 
constitutional prerogative of this Committee to ensure that the 
executive branch is both held accountable by, and responsive 
to, the representatives of the American people. The Committee 
takes this responsibility, and the responsibility to provide 
for the common defense of our Nation, seriously.
    Successive National Defense Strategies make clear the 
Department's top priority is to strengthen and sustain the 
Nation's ability to deter the aggressive and malign actions of 
the People's Republic of China (PRC). This bill ensures the 
realization of this priority by rejecting the Administration's 
request to decrease the number of ships in the Navy's fleet, 
increasing investment in advanced aircraft, authorizing the 
multiyear procurement of critical munitions, building up 
domestic industrial base capacity, and supporting America's 
most important strategic asset--its servicemembers. The current 
geopolitical environment also calls for the United States and 
its allies to be postured to respond to a variety of conflicts 
that threaten the homeland or the international rules-based 
order in place since the end of the Second World War. Russia's 
ill-conceived invasion of Ukraine, Iran's increased aggression 
in the Middle East, and missile threats from the Democratic 
People's Republic of Korea all serve as reminders that focusing 
on the pacing threat cannot lead to a vacuum of American 
leadership elsewhere in the world.
    To achieve these shared goals, the Committee's top 
priorities for fiscal year 2024 are to invest in America's 
military superiority, shape a more efficient and effective 
workforce while enhancing a culture of innovation, combat 
illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids, and take care of 
servicemembers and their families.
    First, the Committee resources the military capabilities 
necessary to decisively defeat potential adversaries. As such, 
the Committee's recommendation includes funding to directly 
counter the PRC's malign global influence, including over 
$9,000,000,000 for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, 
$108,000,000 for International Security Cooperation Programs 
for Taiwan, and robust funding for the modernization of the 
nuclear triad. The recommendation also includes language to 
prioritize the delivery of defense articles to Taiwan and 
supports training partnerships such as the National Guard State 
Partnership Program. Finally, the Committee recommendation 
supports the development of a `hedge' portfolio to address the 
mounting global security risks. The Committee is concerned by 
growing tactical and logistical risks to current weapon 
systems, as well as the lack of industrial base capacity and 
diversity. A hedge in this sense will resource organizations 
capable of developing non-traditional solutions from non-
traditional sources by intentionally taking calculated risks to 
incentivize positive, deliberate, accelerated change. If 
properly executed, this hedge has the potential to create 
asymmetric advantage to support combatant command operational 
challenges and reduce the taxpayer's burden by leveraging 
private capital, expand America's economic advantage by 
accelerating emerging technology, and broaden the pool of 
talent supporting national defense.
    Second, the Act drives significant changes to the way the 
Department of Defense operates. The Committee notes its 
frustration with the Department's adherence to legacy business 
practices and manpower assumptions, particularly with respect 
to its civilian workforce. While in many cases the civilian 
workforce provides invaluable contributions to the warfighter, 
the Department must optimize its workforce by adopting emerging 
technologies and becoming fiscally sustainable or risk a 
misalignment of resources to execute the National Defense 
Strategy. Capabilities such as automation, artificial 
intelligence, and other novel business practices--which are 
readily adopted by the private sector--are often ignored or 
under-utilized across the Department's business operations. 
This bill takes aggressive steps to address this issue. 
Additionally, the Department continues to struggle to rapidly 
transition technology from industry, or its own research labs, 
into the hands of the warfighters. This bill includes many 
recommendations to address this deficiency.
    Third, illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids are causing 
the deaths of more Americans than any other adversary. While 
the Committee acknowledges limits to the Department of 
Defense's statutory authorities, the Department and the 
Intelligence Community can and must increase their 
contributions to combat this threat. Therefore, the Act 
includes a historic investment of $1,162,161,000 in the drug 
interdiction and counter-drug activities account, including 
increased funding for counter-narcotics support, demand 
reduction, the National Guard Counter-Drug Program, and 
National Guard Counter-Drug Schools.
    Finally, as the Nation marks the 50th anniversary of the 
All-Volunteer Force, the Committee emphasizes that taking care 
of servicemembers and their families is foundational to the 
success of the military. Increased investments in warfighting 
capabilities are useless without a ready, trained, equipped, 
and robust force. However, the Committee is concerned that 
compensation, particularly for the junior enlisted ranks, has 
been insufficient to provide an adequate quality of life for 
servicemembers. The Committee is also concerned that this 
inadequate level of pay may impede the Department's ability to 
recruit a force sufficient to execute the National Defense 
Strategy.
    Therefore, the Act includes a historic alteration to the 
funding tables for junior enlisted servicemembers that provides 
for an increase in pay that averages 30 percent. This 
investment will improve recruitment and enhance the quality of 
life for servicemembers and their families. The Committee looks 
forward to working with the Senate and other committees of 
jurisdiction to enact this proposal.
    The United States is in a decisive decade that will 
determine the fate of the world order. The PRC is rapidly 
building its military capabilities, investing in the developing 
world, and disrupting the rules-based order. The myth of 
integrated deterrence cannot lead the United States into 
shortchanging its military capabilities. Instead, the 
Department, in coordination with this Committee, must overcome 
the inertia in its current bureaucracy, processes, workforce, 
and mindset. It must be agile, ready, and lethal to encourage 
cooperation, not provocation.
    The Committee appreciates the input from the Department of 
Defense, the Intelligence Community, Members of Congress, 
industry, think tanks, and outside stakeholders as it worked to 
draft its recommendation for fiscal year 2024.

              DEFINITION OF PROGRAM, PROJECT, AND ACTIVITY

    For the purposes of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Public Law 99-177), as amended by 
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Reaffirmation 
Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-119), and by the Budget Enforcement 
Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-508), the terms ``program, project, 
and activity'' for appropriations contained in this Act shall 
be defined as the most specific level of budget items 
identified in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 
2024, the related classified annexes and Committee reports, and 
the P-1 and R-1 budget justification documents as subsequently 
modified by congressional action.
    The following exception to the above definition shall 
apply: the military personnel and the operation and maintenance 
accounts, for which the term ``program, project, and activity'' 
is defined as the appropriations accounts contained in the 
Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
    At the time the President submits the budget request for 
fiscal year 2025, the Secretary of Defense is directed to 
transmit to the congressional defense committees budget 
justification documents to be known as the M-1 and O-1, which 
shall identify, at the budget activity, activity group, and 
sub-activity group level, the amounts requested by the 
President to be appropriated to the Department of Defense for 
military personnel and operation and maintenance in any budget 
request, or amended budget request, for fiscal year 2025.

                         REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE

    The Secretary of Defense is directed to continue to follow 
the reprogramming guidance for acquisition accounts as 
specified in the report accompanying the House version of the 
Department of Defense Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2008 
(House Report 110-279). The dollar threshold for reprogramming 
funds shall be $15,000,000 for military personnel and operation 
and maintenance; and $10,000,000 for procurement and research, 
development, test and evaluation.
    Additionally, the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) 
is directed to continue to provide the congressional defense 
committees annual DD Form 1416 reports for titles I and II and 
quarterly, spreadsheet-based DD Form 1416 reports for Service 
and defense-wide accounts in titles III and IV of this Act. 
Reports for titles III and IV shall comply with guidance 
specified in the explanatory statement accompanying the 
Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006. The Department 
shall continue to follow the limitation that prior approval 
reprogramming actions are set at either the specified dollar 
threshold or 20 percent of the procurement or research, 
development, test and evaluation line, whichever is less. These 
thresholds are cumulative from the base for reprogramming value 
as modified by any adjustments. Therefore, if the combined 
value of transfers into or out of a military personnel (M-1); 
an operation and maintenance (O-1); a procurement (P-1); or a 
research, development, test and evaluation (R-1) line exceeds 
the identified threshold, the Secretary of Defense must submit 
a prior approval reprogramming to the congressional defense 
committees. In addition, guidelines on the application of prior 
approval reprogramming procedures for congressional special 
interest items are established elsewhere in this statement.

                           FUNDING INCREASES

    The funding increases outlined in the tables for each 
appropriation account shall be provided only for the specific 
purposes indicated in the tables.

                  CONGRESSIONAL SPECIAL INTEREST ITEMS

    Items for which additional funds have been provided or 
items for which funding is specifically reduced as shown in the 
project level tables or in paragraphs using the phrase ``only 
for'' or ``only to'' in this report are congressional special 
interest items for the purpose of the Base for Reprogramming 
(DD Form 1414). Each of these items must be carried on the DD 
Form 1414 at the stated amount, as specifically addressed in 
the Committee report.

                            CLASSIFIED ANNEX

    Adjustments to the classified programs are addressed in the 
classified annex accompanying this report.

              COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS BY MAJOR CATEGORY

         ACTIVE, RESERVE, AND NATIONAL GUARD MILITARY PERSONNEL

    In title I of the Act, the Committee recommends a total of 
$177,922,024,000 for active, reserve, and National Guard 
military personnel, a decrease of $951,942,000 below the budget 
request due to projected underexecution of funds. The Committee 
recommendation provides full funding necessary to increase 
basic pay for all military personnel by 5.2 percent, effective 
January 1, 2024. The Committee recommendation also includes 
additional targeted funding increases for certain enlisted 
grades.

                       OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

    In title II of the Act, the Committee recommends a total of 
$293,065,995,000 for operation and maintenance support to the 
military Services and other Department of Defense entities, an 
increase of $2,994,702,000 above the budget request. The 
recommended levels will fund robust operational training, 
readiness, and facilities needs in fiscal year 2024.

                              PROCUREMENT

    In title III of the Act, the Committee recommends a total 
of $165,061,083,000 for procurement, a decrease of 
$3,995,863,000 below the budget request.
    Major initiatives and modifications include:
    $674,152,000 for 48 sets of M109A6 Paladin Self-Propelled 
Howitzers and M992A2 Field Artillery Ammunition Support 
Vehicles;
    $120,000,000 for additional modernized Army National Guard 
HMMWVs;
    $1,617,093,000 for the procurement of the B-21 Raider;
    $9,641,932,000 for 86 F-35 aircraft, which is an increase 
of $227,353,000 for 3 additional F-35As for the Air Force for a 
total of 51 F-35As, 16 short take-off and vertical landing 
variants for the Marine Corps, and 19 carrier variants for the 
Navy and Marine Corps;
    $2,758,048,000 for the procurement of 15 KC-46A tanker 
aircraft;
    $2,431,171,000 for the procurement of 24 F-15EX aircraft;
    $213,804,000 for the procurement of 7 MH-139 aircraft;
    $487,200,000 for the procurement of 4 C-130Js aircraft for 
the Air National Guard;
    $120,000,000 for the procurement of 2 Combat Rescue 
Helicopters;
    $200,000,000 for the acceleration of the delivery of the E-
7 aircraft;
    $1,800,050,000 for the procurement of 16 CH-53K 
helicopters, an increase of one aircraft and 102,000,000 above 
the President's budget request;
    $684,121,000 for the procurement of five CMV-22 aircraft;
    $32,906,812,000 for the procurement of nine Navy battle 
force ships, including two DDG-51 guided missile destroyers, 
one Columbia-class ballistic submarine, two Virginia-class fast 
attack submarines, two Frigates, one TAO Fleet Oiler, and one 
submarine tender replacement;
    $2,672,314,000 for the procurement of 15 National Security 
Space Launches; and
    $200,000,000 for the Israeli Cooperative Programs under the 
Missile Defense Agency.

               RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION

    In title IV of the Act, the Committee recommends a total of 
$146,836,251,000 for research, development, test and 
evaluation, an increase of $1,956,626,000 above the budget 
request.
    Major initiatives and modifications include:
    $1,493,804,000 to support Army Future Vertical Lift, 
including design, prototyping, and risk reduction for the 
Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft and the Future Long Range 
Assault Aircraft;
    $974,020,000 for continued development and fielding of the 
Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon;
    $380,355,000 for the Army's Mid-Range Missile capability;
    $816,663,000 for the Army's Lower Tier Air Missile Defense 
capability;
    $2,356,734,000 for the F-35 Continuous Capability 
Development and Delivery program;
    $790,537,000 for the continued development of the Air 
Force's Survivable Airborne Operations Center;
    $2,984,143,000 for the continued development of the B-21 
bomber;
    $2,326,128,000 for the continued development of the Air 
Force's Next Generation Air Dominance program;
    $891,406,000 for the Air Force's Long Range Standoff 
Weapon;
    $3,686,840,000 for the continued development of the Air 
Force's Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program;
    $901,064,000 for the continued development of the Navy's 
conventional prompt strike program;
    $237,655,000 for the continued development of the Navy's 
Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare Weapon program;
    $73,146,000 for the continued development for the Marine 
Corps ground-based anti-ship missile and long-range fires 
programs;
    $2,056,063,000 for the Next Generation Interceptor 
Development;
    $2,581,124,000 for the continued development of the Next 
Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared program;
    $2,272,214,000 for the continued development of the 
Resilient Missile Warning-Missile Tracking program; and
    $300,000,000 for the Israeli Cooperative Programs under the 
Missile Defense Agency.

                         DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM

    The Committee recommends a total of $39,365,472,000 for the 
Defense Health Program to support worldwide medical and dental 
services for active forces and other eligible beneficiaries.

                    PAY RAISE FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL

    To address the recruiting crisis and increase the quality 
of life for the most vulnerable military personnel and their 
families, the Committee recommendation includes an average pay 
increase of 30 percent for junior enlisted personnel, as well 
as a 5.2 percent pay increase for all military personnel. The 
Committee expects that this pay raise will help mitigate the 
recruiting crisis and improve the quality of life for 
servicemembers and their families.

                    CIVILIAN WORKFORCE OPTIMIZATION

    The Committee recognizes the valuable contributions of the 
Department of Defense civilian workforce to overall mission 
success but is concerned by its growing cost. Between fiscal 
years 2018 and 2022, civilian pay expenditures grew by 
approximately $15,000,000,000, and in fiscal year 2022 
expenditures across all appropriations exceeded 
$101,000,000,000. The Committee views this as unsustainable and 
excessive, particularly with the maturation of commercial 
technologies, such as robotic process automation and artificial 
intelligence, which can significantly reduce or eliminate 
manual processes across the Department. Therefore, the 
Committee recommendation includes a total reduction of 
$1,095,252,000 for the Department of Defense civilian 
workforce. The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to 
exclude civilian positions supporting shipyard, depot, health 
care, and sexual assault and response duties from any 
reductions.
    Further, the Committee assesses the Department has not 
taken meaningful steps to adopt, at scale, modern technologies 
in its business operations. The Department's adherence to 
legacy systems, processes, and practices creates an inefficient 
application of manpower, squanders resources that could be 
applied to increase operational readiness, and is detrimental 
to the Department's efforts to recruit and retain top talent. 
The Department must optimize its civilian workforce to meet 
current and future threats in a fiscally prudent manner.
    Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense 
to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not 
later than 120 days after the enactment of this Act, that 
addresses these areas of concern. The report shall include:
    (1) a reassessment of total force manpower resources 
against core missions, tasks, and functions to include a 
mapping of missions to originating statute or Departmental 
policy;
    (2) a plan with specific goals and metrics for measuring 
the adoption of technologies, such as automation and artificial 
intelligence, and business process improvements across the 
Department;
    (3) a timeline for implementation of the stated goals;
    (4) a forecast of manpower savings as a result of these 
efforts across the future years defense program; and
    (5) any resources or authorities necessary to achieve these 
objectives or to facilitate these efforts.
    Further, the Committee directs that none of the funds 
appropriated in this Act may be obligated or expended to 
establish or operate a Department of Defense Civilian Workforce 
Incentive Fund until 30 days after the aforementioned report is 
submitted to the congressional defense committees.
    Beginning with the fiscal year 2025 budget request, the 
Department will identify mission changes, areas of technology 
implementation, and business process improvements that will 
optimize the size, structure, and composition of the 
Department's workforce and its allocation of manpower against 
validated requirements.

              CIVILIAN PAY BUDGET JUSTIFICATION MATERIALS

    Justification for civilian pay is included with the 
corresponding appropriations justification materials, yet the 
Committee is concerned the lack of a consolidated Department-
wide civilian pay budget exhibit hinders the Committee's 
ability to perform its oversight of the civilian workforce. 
Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to 
consult with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to 
develop a comprehensive budget exhibit outlining the costs of 
civilian pay to the Department. This exhibit shall be provided 
with submission of the fiscal year 2025 President's budget 
request.

         MULTIYEAR PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN MUNITIONS

    The fiscal year 2024 President's budget request includes a 
request for multiyear procurement authority for the Naval 
Strike Missile, Standard Missile-6, Advanced Medium-Range Air-
to-Air Missile, Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, and Joint Air-to-
Surface Standoff Missile. Following submission of the budget 
request, the Committee received further requests for multiyear 
procurement authority for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket 
System and PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment 
Enhancement. The budget request also includes $1,896,332,000 in 
Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) funding in support of the 
requested multiyear procurements. The Committee further notes 
the request includes $1,395,400,000 in advance procurement and 
industrial base funding for munitions.
    The conditional use of multiyear procurement authority, 
outlined in 10 U.S.C. 3501, requires the Department to show 
substantial savings, the stability of the requirement, the 
stability of funding, stable configuration, realistic cost 
estimates, and national security interests. While the Committee 
strongly agrees with the need to ensure the munitions 
industrial base has steady demand from the Department of 
Defense to meet national defense requirements, the Department 
has failed to show how the use of these proposed contracts 
would meet the standards as outlined in statute. The Committee 
is particularly concerned the Department cannot provide 
realistic cost estimates and has proceeded with these multiyear 
procurement requests without a firm understanding of each 
program's unit cost and production capacity. The Committee 
believes, however, that several of these programs are worthy of 
multiyear procurement consideration due to their enduring 
importance and steady production.
    Therefore, the Act includes a general provision to grant 
multiyear procurement authority for Naval Strike Missile, 
Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, PATRIOT Advanced 
Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement, Long Range Anti-Ship 
Missile, and Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile. The 
Committee also recommends $1,412,127,000 in advance procurement 
and industrial base funding to improve capacity for both 
private and public munitions providers. However, since the 
Department has failed to provide the Committee with cost 
savings expected to be generated by EOQ funding and in some 
instances has communicated an expectation of no cost savings 
from multiyear contracts, EOQ funding is not justified at this 
time. The Committee expects that prior to the transmission of 
its fiscal year 2025 President's budget request, the Department 
will demonstrate how EOQ funding would generate cost savings 
across the respective multiyear contracts.

                       NAVY LITTORAL COMBAT SHIPS

    The Committee is troubled that, despite repeated rejections 
by Congress, the Navy is once again proposing to decommission 
several Littoral Combat Ships well before the end of their 
expected service lives. The Committee strongly believes that 
these ships, though not aligned with the Navy's original plan, 
can provide operational value in support of combatant commander 
initiatives. Further, it is noted that the Navy is studying 
platforms that could be repurposed to serve as a mothership for 
a variety of future unmanned capabilities. The Committee 
believes it is premature to divest these ships before the 
completion of this study or a thorough review of combatant 
commander requirements for such capability.
    Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Navy 
to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not 
later than 30 days after the enactment of this Act, on these 
proposed alternatives. Further, the Committee strongly urges 
the Secretary of the Navy to abstain from further proposals to 
decommission any Littoral Combat Ship.

                     MARINE CORPS AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS

    The Committee is troubled that the budget request seeks to 
retire three amphibious dock landing ships (LSDs) prior to 
reaching their expected service lives, which would bring the 
total number of operational Marine Corps amphibious warfare 
ships under 31. Not only is this request in contravention of 
existing law, but the Committee also notes that such a 
reduction would further inhibit the Marine Corps' ability to 
respond to crises and support emerging combatant commander 
requirements. The Committee is concerned that the proposed rate 
of procurement of new amphibious ships is insufficient to meet 
the Marine Corps' operational requirement. While the Committee 
notes that the Department of the Navy is studying future 
landing platform dock (LPD) requirements, it believes that an 
interruption in the procurement of new amphibious ships will 
have a detrimental effect on maritime power projection and the 
shipbuilding industrial base. Therefore, the Committee 
recommendation prevents the decommissioning of two LSDs to 
sustain near-term capacity. Further, the Committee directs the 
Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Commandant of 
the Marine Corps, to submit a report to the congressional 
defense committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment 
of this Act, on the Department's plan to meet and sustain a 
minimum of 31 operational Marine Corps amphibious warfare 
ships.

                    DIVESTMENTS AND DECOMMISSIONINGS

    The Committee is concerned the Services are reducing 
personnel, operations, and sustainment for aircraft and ships 
prior to the congressional approval of corresponding divestment 
and decommissioning proposals. The Committee notes that over 
the past several fiscal years, Congress has rejected many of 
these proposals and has provided increased funding for the 
costs of keeping these assets in service. The Committee is 
specifically concerned by these actions as they relate to the 
Navy Littoral Combat Ships, Air National Guard aircraft, and 
Air Force Reserve Command aircraft. In the case of the Air 
National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command, the divestment of 
aircraft without identified replacement missions increases 
uncertainty for personnel and local communities. While the 
Committee understands the phasing required for a divestment or 
decommissioning action, the Committee expects the Services to 
not initiate these actions until formally approved by the 
congressional defense committees.

                     F-35 FLIGHT SCIENCES AIRCRAFT

    Due to the age and configuration of the current F-35 flight 
sciences aircraft inventory, the Committee concurs with the F-
35 Joint Program Office (JPO) that modernized aircraft are 
required to support weapons integration and other developments 
to field advanced capabilities. The Committee understands the 
JPO recently awarded a contract for the non-recurring 
engineering and long-lead material to outfit three Lot 18 
aircraft with instrumentation needed for flight sciences 
testing. This Act contains a general provision that grants 
authority to the Secretary of Defense to modify these aircraft 
for this purpose. To further execute these modifications, the 
Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps have programmed funding in 
fiscal year 2024 and across the future years defense program. 
However, the Committee remains concerned that three aircraft 
will be insufficient and will incur undue risk to future 
advanced system development. Therefore, the Committee directs 
the Program Executive Officer (PEO) of the F-35 JPO, in 
coordination with the Secretaries of the Air Force and Navy, to 
submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not 
later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, on the 
number of flight sciences aircraft required to meet future 
testing requirements over the next ten years. The Committee 
further directs the Service Secretaries to appropriately budget 
for this assessment in the fiscal year 2025 President's budget 
request.

                              HYPERSONICS

    The fiscal year 2024 President's budget request for 
hypersonics programs across the Department of Defense totals 
$3,485,800,000. This includes proposed investments in the 
Navy's Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS), the Air Force's 
Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile, and the Army's Long Range 
Hypersonic Weapon, as well as research investments by the 
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and elsewhere across 
the Department. Despite the enormous annual investment in 
hypersonic weapons, the Department of Defense has not yet 
fielded an operational hypersonic weapon. Meanwhile, the 
People's Republic of China continues to outpace the United 
States in both their hypersonic arsenal of weapons and their 
hypersonic wind tunnel testing capabilities. It is imperative 
that the Department of Defense transition hypersonic research 
and development into an operational capability in a more 
expedited fashion.
    While the Committee strongly supports investments in 
hypersonics, it is aware of issues with the Air-Launched Rapid 
Response Weapon (ARRW) program and the Navy's CPS program. As a 
result of delays and test failures, the Committee 
recommendation eliminates funding in fiscal year 2024 for the 
ARRW program. While the Committee continues to support the 
Navy's CPS program and its efforts to integrate CPS onto 
Zumwalt-class destroyers and Virginia-class submarines, the 
Committee notes that recent test failures have added additional 
risk to the program's development and schedule. The Committee 
recommendation, therefore, includes a reduction to the quantity 
of all-up rounds proposed to be procured in fiscal year 2024. 
The Committee expects the Secretary of the Navy to keep the 
Committee informed on whether the program is meeting the 
timelines and milestones for development and fielding.
    The Committee is also concerned about the fragility of the 
industrial base for hypersonics technology, including basic and 
applied research, and supports continued investments in the 
nation's test infrastructure and capacity, such as the Multi-
Service Advanced Capabilities Hypersonic Test Bed.
    Therefore, the Committee directs the Under Secretary of 
Defense for Research and Engineering to submit to the House and 
Senate Appropriations Committees, not later than 90 days after 
the enactment of this Act, an updated hypersonics strategy and 
roadmap, a five-year plan for fielding hypersonic weapons 
across the Services, as well as an assessment of the health of 
the hypersonics industrial base to meet the Department's 
current and future needs.

               ACCELERATING CHANGE WITH A NEAR-TERM HEDGE

    The Committee commends the Secretary of Defense on the 
announcement of the new Director of the Defense Innovation Unit 
(DIU) that comes with an elevated role reporting directly to 
the Secretary. Given mounting global security risks, the 
Department must do more to mobilize a broader industrial base. 
The DIU transition provides a timely milestone to deliberately 
create a hedge portfolio to these risks and focus organizations 
capable of executing that hedge strategy. This portfolio is a 
hedge against growing and innate tactical and logistical risks 
to current weapon systems, as well as a hedge against 
industrial base risk, given the lack of capacity and diversity. 
The development of non-traditional sources and non-traditional 
solutions are essential to this hedge, and it will require 
intentionally taking calculated risks to incentivize positive 
deliberate accelerated change. If properly executed, this hedge 
has the potential to reduce the taxpayer's burden by leveraging 
private capital, expand America's economic advantage by 
accelerating emerging technology, and broaden the pool of 
talent supporting national defense.
    After observing the use of non-traditional weapons from 
non-traditional sources in Ukraine, the Committee supports 
maturing and focusing ``innovation organizations'' on rapidly 
fielding new capabilities from new sources at scale. With 
distinct and complementary missions, organizations like DIU, 
the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, the 
Office of Strategic Capital, AFWERX, SpaceWERX, NavalX, Task 
Force 59, the Army Applications Lab, and the Marine Corps 
Warfighting Lab show promise in creating a hedge to growing 
security risks. If properly focused and resourced, these above 
``innovation organizations'' and others become part of a 
coordinated non-traditional innovation fielding enterprise. 
They will collaboratively have the unique potential to expand 
the diversity and scale of new weapon systems, concepts of 
operation, and industry partners in a way that creates 
resiliency for the Nation and strategic uncertainty for 
adversaries.
    Unfortunately, it is not clear to the Committee that the 
Department is properly focusing, staffing, organizing, or 
resourcing these organizations, or fully exploring options to 
evolve requirements, budgeting, acquisition, and adoption 
processes to meet strategic intent. While the Committee's 
direction to focus these efforts is detailed in the Research, 
Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide section of this 
report, the added emphasis on agile adoption approaches across 
this non-traditional innovation fielding enterprise requires 
broader consideration across all accounts. Approaches to 
leveraging new sources of technology, capital, and talent could 
significantly accelerate affordable fielding of critical joint 
capabilities. However, to be successful, small teams of 
technologists, acquirers, and warfighters must be focused on 
rapidly fielding solutions at scale to operationally relevant 
problems.

                SPACE FORCE MISSION AREA BUDGET EXHIBIT

    The Committee is aware of various proposals over the years 
to consolidate and align budgets into capability portfolios. 
The Committee recognizes that there may be potential benefits 
to an approach that more directly connects national security 
strategy and goals to the Department's budget priorities, 
program plans, and ultimately to capabilities. Such an approach 
may also bring greater transparency and accuracy to the true 
total cost and resources needed to accomplish mission goals. 
While making an abrupt transition across the entire Department 
to a new budget structure would be unwieldy and unproductively 
disruptive, the development of a supplementary budget exhibit 
to be submitted along with the President's budget request is a 
worthwhile trial to understand how the Department might 
implement a new approach based on organizing around specific 
mission areas. The Committee believes the Space Force is an 
appropriate starting point for this exercise because of its 
relatively small size compared to other Services.
    Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Air 
Force, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense 
(Comptroller), to prepare a supplementary budget exhibit for 
Space Force programs that organizes and aligns the existing 
budget lines for programs, projects, and activities into 
mission area expenditure centers, such as missile warning, 
satellite communications, and position, navigation, and timing. 
The supplementary budget exhibit should also include separate 
mission area expenditure centers for enterprise management, 
enterprise information technology, and facilities and 
logistics. Each mission area is expected to include a clear 
statement of the mission goals and plans, a detailed and 
compelling justification for the requested budget and military 
and civilian personnel needed for the mission, and an alignment 
of all the relevant individual program elements, without 
further consolidation from the traditional budget exhibits and 
activity groups of the various appropriations. The Committee 
notes that the budget exhibits for the Military Intelligence 
Program and the National Intelligence Program may serve as a 
potential model and starting point for consideration. To be 
clear, this is a supplementary budget exhibit, not a substitute 
for the budget documentation typically provided each year.
    The Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force and 
Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) to submit a draft plan 
for the Space Force Mission Area Budget Exhibit to the House 
and Senate Appropriations Committees not later than September 
1, 2023. The draft plan shall outline the structure of the 
exhibit, including defining each of the mission area 
expenditure centers, the data proposed to be included, and key 
personnel, such as identification of the program executive 
officer responsible for each mission area. The completed 
exhibit covering the entire Space Force budget request shall be 
submitted with the fiscal year 2025 President's budget request.

                   CYBER COMMAND BUDGET PRESENTATION

    Under the enhanced budget control provided by the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, United States 
Cyber Command's fiscal year 2024 budget request totals 
$2,837,377,000 across the operation and maintenance, 
procurement, and research, development, test and evaluation 
appropriations. The Committee expects Cyber Command to provide 
the same level of detail regarding budget execution and 
acquisition program schedules that customarily are provided by 
the Services and defense agencies. The Committee directs the 
Commander, United States Cyber Command, to consult with the 
House and Senate Appropriations Committees on developing budget 
presentation materials, that shall be presented with the fiscal 
year 2025 President's budget request, to preserve congressional 
oversight capacity and enhance communication between the 
Committees and the Command.

                             CLIMATE CHANGE

    The Committee recommendation includes a reduction of 
$714,840,000 for unjustified requests that seek to mitigate 
climate risk but do not improve combat capability or capacity. 
The Committee is dismayed that the budget request 
mischaracterizes requirements such as routine infrastructure 
and utilities upgrades, long-standing statutory compliance 
activities, combatant commander theater-setting efforts, and 
multilateral cold weather exercises as mitigating climate risk. 
This is a disingenuous practice that serves the 
Administration's prerogative at the expense of clarity in the 
Department's request and the Committee's ability to perform 
oversight.

                    DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

    The Committee is concerned that Department of Defense 
programs operating under the auspices of diversity, equity, and 
inclusion serve to divide the military along racial, ethnic, or 
gender lines rather than unite servicemembers to provide for 
the common defense. Therefore, the Committee recommendation 
includes a reduction of $114,700,000 from the request for such 
activities. Further, the Committee is concerned by the 
propagation of the Department's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, 
and Accessibility Strategic Plan. The Committee continues its 
longstanding and bipartisan support of disability rights and is 
concerned that grouping accessibility with these divisive 
concepts may negatively impact people with disabilities, 
including disabled military veterans.

                     CONGRESSIONAL LIAISON SUPPORT

    The Committee relies heavily on the budget or 
appropriations liaison offices of the Secretary of Defense and 
the Service Secretaries to conduct its oversight 
responsibilities and make funding recommendations. These 
offices possess expertise and direct relationships to the 
financial management and comptroller organizations, which are 
essential to effective communication between the Department and 
the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. It is critical 
that the budget or appropriations liaison offices remain 
independent from the legislative liaison offices and retain the 
authority to respond directly and promptly with the information 
required by the Committee and its Members.
    The Committee notes that the Secretary of Defense has not 
submitted a report directed in the joint explanatory statement 
accompanying the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 
2021, which directed the Secretary to submit proposals and 
recommendations to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees to strengthen the budget and appropriations liaison 
offices and improve coordination between the Department and the 
House and Senate Appropriations Committees. The Committee 
appreciates that the Department of the Air Force has, in 
consultation with the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees, made improvements to their appropriations liaison 
office following this reporting requirement. However, the 
Committee assesses that additional proposals for improvement 
are needed, including from the Department and other Services. 
Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to 
submit this report not later than 60 days after the enactment 
of this Act.

       CYBERSECURITY RISKS FROM COMMERCIAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

    The Committee is concerned by the cybersecurity risks to 
the United States government that stem from the purchase and 
use of commercial off-the-shelf information technology, 
particularly items from companies with connections to China's 
military and cyber espionage programs. A 2018 Inspector General 
Report (DODIG-2019-106) found the Department of Defense 
purchased and used at least $33,000,000 of information 
technology items with commonly known cybersecurity risks and a 
2023 Government Accountability Office report (GAO 23-105612) 
recommended the Department fully implement foundational 
practices for managing information and communications 
technology supply chain risks.
    However, the scope of the problem is certainly not limited 
to the Department of Defense. Accordingly, the Committee 
directs the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the 
Director of National Intelligence, the Secretary of Commerce, 
and the Administrator of the General Services Administration, 
to submit a report to the congressional defense committees not 
later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act. The report 
shall contain an updated threat assessment of the risks posed 
using commercially available information technology, 
particularly relating to computers and printers from countries 
of concern and shall include an assessment of the scale of 
their use across all networks. The report shall also include 
recommendations and legislative proposals, as appropriate, to 
inform future efforts to mitigate these threats and 
vulnerabilities. The report shall be submitted in unclassified 
form but may be accompanied by a classified annex.

                             SMALL BUSINESS

    The Committee encourages the Secretary of Defense to 
contract with small businesses through multiple paths including 
the Office of Small Business Programs Mentor Protege Program, 
APEX Accelerators, the Small Business Innovation Research 
Program, and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program. 
However, the Committee is concerned by the execution of the 
Department's small business programs. Therefore, the Committee 
directs the Secretary of Defense to brief the congressional 
defense committees, not later than 120 days after the enactment 
of this Act, on the effectiveness of the Department's agenda 
for these programs, including details on the prime and 
subcontractor base, the number of multiyear contracts awarded, 
the value of disbursements, due diligence processes to include 
mitigation to foreign influence risks, and the implementation 
of the new changes required under the Small Business 
Administration Reauthorization and Modernization Act of 2022.
    Further, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to 
submit a quarterly report, beginning 45 days after the 
enactment of this Act, to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees on its efforts to work with minority and women-owned 
small businesses. The report shall adhere to the requirements 
outlined in House Report 117-388.

                         REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

    The Committee finds it inexcusable that the Department of 
Defense has not submitted several reports directed by previous 
Acts. The Department's timely and fulsome response is critical 
to the Committee's oversight responsibilities. Therefore, the 
Committee recommendation includes a reduction of $1,000,000 
from the immediate Office of the Secretary of Defense.

           CONTRACT PERSONNEL BUDGET JUSTIFICATION MATERIALS

    The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense and Service 
Secretaries to consult with the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees to develop a budget exhibit for funds associated 
with contract personnel working on behalf of the Department. 
This exhibit shall be provided concurrently with submission of 
the fiscal year 2025 President's budget request.

     REPORT ON NATIONAL SECURITY RISKS FROM CERTAIN LAND PURCHASES

    The Committee is concerned by the national security risks 
that stem from the purchase or leasing of land adjacent to 
United States military bases by governments of countries of 
concern. Accordingly, the Committee directs the Secretary of 
Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense 
committees not later than 90 days after the enactment of this 
Act on these bases and steps taken by the Administration to 
mitigate these risks and prevent them in the future. The report 
shall include land owned or leased by the governments of China, 
Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Venezuela, and any other the 
Secretary determines to be country of concern.

                                TITLE I

                           MILITARY PERSONNEL

    The fiscal year 2024 Department of Defense military 
personnel budget request and the Committee recommendation are 
summarized in the table below:


                      MILITARY PERSONNEL OVERVIEW

    The Committee recommendation provides $177,922,024,000 for 
the military personnel accounts, which fund military pay and 
allowances, recruitment and retention initiatives, and overall 
quality of life programs for active duty, National Guard, and 
reserve personnel. The recommendation provides an increase in 
basic pay for all military personnel by 5.2 percent, effective 
January 1, 2024, and additional targeted pay increases for 
certain enlisted grades. The Committee continues to encourage 
constructive evaluations of recruitment and retention programs, 
bonus and special pay incentives, and personnel benefit 
programs for fiscal year 2024. The Committee remains supportive 
of programs intended to enhance the morale and quality of life 
of military personnel and their families.

                        SUMMARY OF END STRENGTH

    The fiscal year 2024 President's budget request includes an 
increase of 9,100 in total end strength for the active forces 
and an increase of 3,300 in total end strength for the Selected 
Reserve as compared to fiscal year 2023 projected levels. 
Further, the total end strength in the budget request includes 
a decrease of 13,344 personnel below the fiscal year 2023 
authorized level. The following tables summarize the Committee 
recommendations for end strength levels, both in the aggregate 
and for each active and Selected Reserve component.

                      OVERALL ACTIVE END STRENGTH

 
 
 
Fiscal year 2023 authorized...........................         1,316,944
Fiscal year 2024 budget request.......................         1,305,400
Fiscal year 2024 recommendation.......................         1,305,400
    Compared with fiscal year 2023....................           -11,544
    Compared with fiscal year 2024 budget request.....             - - -
 

                 OVERALL SELECTED RESERVE END STRENGTH

 
 
 
Fiscal year 2023 authorized...........................           770,400
Fiscal year 2024 budget request.......................           768,600
Fiscal year 2024 recommendation.......................           768,600
    Compared with fiscal year 2023....................            -1,800
    Compared with fiscal year 2024 budget request.....             - - -
 


                                   SUMMARY OF MILITARY PERSONNEL END STRENGTH
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                         Fiscal year 2024
                                                ----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Fiscal year                                         Change from
                                                     2023        Budget     Committee   Change from  fiscal year
                                                  authorized    Request    Recommended    request        2023
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Active Forces (End Strength)
    Army.......................................      452,000      452,000      452,000        - - -        - - -
    Navy.......................................      354,000      347,000      347,000        - - -       -7,000
    Marine Corps...............................      177,000      172,300      172,300        - - -       -4,700
    Air Force..................................      325,344      324,700      324,700        - - -         -644
    Space Force................................        8,600        9,400        9,400        - - -          800
                                                ----------------------------------------------------------------
        Total, Active Forces...................    1,316,944    1,305,400    1,305,400        - - -      -11,544
Guard and Reserve Forces (End Strength)
    Army Reserve...............................      177,000      174,800      174,800        - - -       -2,200
    Navy Reserve...............................       57,000       57,200       57,200        - - -          200
    Marine Corps Reserve.......................       33,000       33,600       33,600        - - -          600
    Air Force Reserve..........................       70,000       69,600       69,600        - - -         -400
    Army National Guard........................      325,000      325,000      325,000        - - -            0
    Air National Guard.........................      108,400      108,400      108,400        - - -            0
                                                ----------------------------------------------------------------
        Total, Selected Reserve................      770,400      768,600      768,600        - - -       -1,800
Total, Military Personnel......................    2,087,344    2,074,000    2,074,000        - - -      -13,344
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL ACCOUNTS

    The Secretary of Defense is directed to submit the Base for 
Reprogramming (DD Form 1414) for each of the fiscal year 2024 
appropriations accounts not later than 60 days after the 
enactment of this Act. The Secretary of Defense is prohibited 
from executing any reprogramming or transfer of funds for any 
purpose other than originally appropriated until the 
aforementioned report is submitted to the House and Senate 
Defense Appropriations Subcommittees.
    The Secretary of Defense is directed to use the normal 
prior approval reprogramming procedures to transfer funds in 
the Services' military personnel accounts between budget 
activities in excess of $15,000,000.

               MILITARY PERSONNEL SPECIAL INTEREST ITEMS

    Items for which additional funds have been provided or have 
been specifically reduced as shown in the project level tables 
or in paragraphs using the phrase ``only for'' or ``only to'' 
in this report are congressional special interest items for the 
purpose of the Base for Reprogramming (DD Form 1414). Each of 
these items must be carried on the DD Form 1414 at the stated 
amount as specifically addressed in the Committee report. Below 
threshold reprogrammings may not be used to either restore or 
reduce funding from congressional special interest items as 
identified on the DD Form 1414.

                              END STRENGTH

    The Committee is concerned that the continuing decline in 
military end strength has adversely impacted the Department of 
Defense's ability to execute the National Defense Strategy 
(NDS), which was developed at a time when the end strength of 
the active-duty Army and Marine Corps were 485,000 and 178,500 
respectively. The fiscal year 2024 President's budget requests 
end strengths of 452,000 for the Army, the same as in fiscal 
year 2023, and 172,300 for the Marine Corps. These end 
strengths are the lowest for either Service in over 60 years. 
In particular, the Committee is concerned that the Army end 
strength request is significantly below the optimal level of 
540,000 to 550,000, as stated by senior Army leadership in 
congressional testimony two years ago.
    To assess the impact of declining end strength on the NDS, 
the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a 
report to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees not 
later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act. The report 
shall detail the end strength required by Service and active 
and reserve components to execute the NDS. The report shall 
also describe the risks incurred if end strength falls below 
those levels. Information contained in this report may be 
provided with a classified annex.

                              RECRUITMENT

    The Committees notes that the inability of the Department 
of Defense to maintain sufficient end strength is directly 
attributable to the failure of recruitment efforts by the 
Services. Citing data from internally commissioned surveys, the 
Department and the Services reference external factors beyond 
their control as the primary reasons for this failure. The 
Committee is concerned, however, that the methodology used in 
these surveys may be inadequate in explaining the reluctance of 
youth to serve in the military.
    The Committee also notes that recent public polling 
suggests that factors over which the Department and Services do 
have control may play a larger role than these surveys 
indicate. One recent poll by the Military Family Advisory 
Network reported an 11.6 percent decline from 2019 to 2021 in 
the number of military and veteran respondents who would 
recommend military life to those considering it. This was 
followed by another poll by the Ronald Reagan Presidential 
Foundation and Institute that found that the number of 
Americans who have a great deal of confidence in the United 
States military as an institution plummeted from 70 percent in 
2018 to 48 percent in 2022.
    To better understand the reasons for the recruiting crisis, 
therefore, the Secretary of Defense shall seek to enter into a 
contract or other agreement with an independent entity not 
under the direction or control of the Secretary of Defense, 
which could include a nationally recognized analytics and 
advisory company that specializes in public polling, to conduct 
a survey of the demographics that have historically served as 
the primary recruiting base for the military. The survey 
should, at a minimum, identify these demographics by age, race, 
sex, and state, and assess any changes in propensity for 
military service within this group. The survey should attempt 
to determine the reasons for changes, if any, using polling and 
other data. The survey should also attempt to identify the 
percentage in this demographic who have, or had, immediate 
family members that served in the military, such as parents or 
siblings. The Secretary is directed not to restrict the topics 
or polling questions that the selected entity may choose to 
pursue in relation to this survey. The entity selected to 
conduct the survey shall submit the survey findings 
concurrently to the Secretary of Defense and the congressional 
defense committees not later than 120 days after the enactment 
of this Act.

                      COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY

    The Committee assesses that the inability of the Department 
of Defense to reach end strength targets over the last two 
years was exacerbated by its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination 
policy. By the end of calendar year 2021, four months after the 
vaccine mandate went into effect, a total of 87 servicemembers 
had died from COVID-19 out of a force of 2.1 million, an 
incidence rate of .005 percent. During that same period, 310 
military personnel died in accidents. Yet to address this 
perceived COVID-19 crisis in the military, the Department 
implemented a vaccination policy which compounded an already 
existing end strength and recruiting crisis. Not only did this 
policy unnecessarily reduce end strength through the 
involuntary separation of thousands of servicemembers, but as 
acknowledged by senior Marine Corps leadership in 2022, it also 
hurt recruiting. In fiscal year 2023, Congress intervened to 
overturn this policy through section 525 of the James M. Inhofe 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public 
Law 117-263). Now that the policy has been rescinded, the 
Committee expects the Secretary to implement guidance that 
requires the Services to offer reinstatement to servicemembers 
who were involuntarily separated based solely on the 
Department's mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy.

                     ``EXTREMISM'' IN THE MILITARY

    The Committee is concerned that the Department of Defense's 
excessive and unjustified focus on ``extremism'' is further 
eroding the confidence of the American people in the military 
and harming recruiting. The Department's own data from January 
2020 to February 2021 showed there were 87 ``extremist-
related'' incidents across a force of 2.1 million, a .005 
percent incidence rate. Yet the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff reported using 5,359,311 hours on a force-wide stand down 
in 2021 focused on ``extremism,'' in addition to the Department 
standing up a Countering Extremist Activity Working Group that 
spent additional time and resources on an issue with an 
exceptionally rare incidence rate. The Department's actions 
signaled to the public--and potential recruits--that 
``extremism'' is rampant in the military, which the 
Department's own data show is inaccurate. The Committee notes 
that the Department already has sufficient resources and 
policies to address and mitigate the exceptionally rare 
incidents of ``extremism'' and views a continued focus on this 
issue as an unjustified use of taxpayer funds. The Committee 
urges the Secretary of Defense to instead prioritize the 
Department's resources to address warfighting capabilities.

             RELEASE OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION

    The Committee is extremely concerned by the Air Force's 
improper release of Personally Identifiable Information between 
January 2021 and January 2023 to a politically aligned research 
group. This was a breach of trust with former servicemembers 
and could be perceived as the Department acting with political 
motivation. Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of 
Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense 
committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment of this 
Act, on what steps are being taken across the Services to 
prevent a future breach of this nature. The Committee further 
directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit to the 
congressional defense committees an update on the investigation 
into this matter, not later than 30 days after the enactment of 
this Act, and quarterly thereafter, until the investigation is 
complete. Finally, the Committee has included a general 
provision in the Act to further strengthen the privacy of 
servicemembers and veterans.

                           SUICIDE PREVENTION

    The Committee remains concerned by the high rate of suicide 
among servicemembers. Therefore, in accordance with the 
Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations to 
address certain implementation gaps in the suicide prevention 
program (GAO-22-105888), the Committee directs the Service 
Secretaries to establish oversight mechanisms to ensure that 
all command and installation level suicide prevention program 
activities are implemented as required, to include those at 
remote overseas installations. To assess progress toward this 
goal, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense, in 
coordination with the Service Secretaries, to submit a report, 
not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act, that 
addresses the status of resolving the gaps identified by GAO.

                       SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION

    The Committee is very concerned by the continued increase 
in sexual assaults across the military and at the Service 
academies despite the increase in resources to implement the 
recommendations of the Independent Review Commission on Sexual 
Assault in the Military. The inability to reduce the incidence 
rate of sexual assault may be indicative of disjointed efforts 
across the Department of Defense. On the one hand, the 
Department has pointed out in numerous briefings to Congress 
over the past few years that alcohol is one of the primary 
contributing factors to sexual assault. On the other hand, the 
Army last year considered a plan to remove alcohol restrictions 
in its barracks to create a ``positive alcohol culture.''
    The Committee expects the Department to establish and 
adhere to a coordinated strategy across the Services and to 
execute programs based on definable metrics to determine which 
lines of effort are the most effective in addressing the 
scourge of sexual assault. In addition, the Committee directs 
the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the 
congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after 
the enactment of this Act, on efforts to implement the reforms 
outlined in the Secretary's memo dated March 10, 2023, 
``Actions to Address and Prevent Sexual Assault at the Military 
Service Academies.''

                         CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION

    The Committee is concerned by the rising rate of child 
maltreatment across the Nation. The Committee understands that 
the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended 
improvements (GAO-20-110) to the Department of Defense's 
tracking of, and response to, child abuse, including within 
Department of Defense Education Activity programs. The 
Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to procure, test, 
and evaluate a standardized curriculum for child abuse 
prevention education for use by the Family Advocacy Program and 
military installations with affiliated Department of Defense 
Dependent Schools and Domestic Dependent Elementary and 
Secondary Schools.

                       BLENDED RETIREMENT SYSTEM

    The Committee recognizes that fiscal year 2024 will mark 
the fifth anniversary of the Department of Defense's 
implementation of the Blended Retirement System (BRS) and 
commends the Department for its efforts to ensure that 
servicemembers have proper access to financial security 
training. The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to 
submit a report to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees on the status of BRS implementation not later than 
90 days after the enactment of this Act. This report shall 
analyze any data collected on the impacts of current training 
modules and include quantifiable outcomes that assess the 
impact of the Department's current financial security training 
from the year prior to implementation through fiscal year 2024. 
It shall also detail an action plan that outlines additional 
tools and resources needed by the Department to further 
increase positive outcomes in enhancing financial literacy 
training for servicemembers.

   PORTABILITY OF PROFESSIONAL LICENSES OF SERVICEMEMBERS AND THEIR 
                                SPOUSES

    Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act of 2022, in 
addition to Public Law 117-333, provides licensure reciprocity 
across state lines for the spouses of military servicemembers 
under certain conditions. The Committee directs the Secretary 
of Defense to issue guidance to all installation commanders, 
not later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act, on how 
to educate servicemembers and their spouses on this 
reciprocity.

                       MILITARY SPOUSE EMPLOYMENT

    The Committee recognizes the need for comprehensive data to 
measure military spouse employment over time. Therefore, the 
Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to improve its 
assessment tools to better report on employment outcomes for 
this population. The Secretary shall submit a report to the 
congressional defense committees, not later than 180 days after 
the enactment of this Act, on the results of these efforts.

                MINORITY OUTREACH AND OFFICER ACCESSIONS

    The Committee supports efforts to conduct effective 
outreach and recruiting programs focused on increasing officer 
accessions in minority communities and encourages the Secretary 
of Defense and the Service Secretaries to support such efforts.

                        MILITARY PERSONNEL, ARMY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Military Personnel, Army:


                        MILITARY PERSONNEL, NAVY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Military Personnel, Navy:


                    MILITARY PERSONNEL, MARINE CORPS

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Military Personnel, Marine Corps:


                     MILITARY PERSONNEL, AIR FORCE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Military Personnel, Air Force:


                    MILITARY PERSONNEL, SPACE FORCE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Military Personnel, Space Force:


                        RESERVE PERSONNEL, ARMY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Reserve Personnel, Army:


                        RESERVE PERSONNEL, NAVY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Reserve Personnel, Navy:


                    RESERVE PERSONNEL, MARINE CORPS

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Reserve Personnel, Marine Corps:


                      RESERVE PERSONNEL, AIR FORCE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Reserve Personnel, Air Force:


                     NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL, ARMY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
National Guard Personnel, Army:


                  NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL, AIR FORCE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
National Guard Personnel, Air Force:



                                TITLE II

                       OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

    The fiscal year 2024 Department of Defense operation and 
maintenance budget request and the Committee recommendation are 
summarized in the table below:


     REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE FOR OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE ACCOUNTS

    The Secretary of Defense is directed to submit the Base for 
Reprogramming (DD Form 1414) for each of the fiscal year 2024 
appropriation accounts not later than 60 days after the 
enactment of this Act. The Secretary of Defense is prohibited 
from executing any reprogramming or transfer of funds for any 
purpose other than originally appropriated until the 
aforementioned report is submitted to the House and Senate 
Defense Appropriations Subcommittees.
    The Secretary of Defense is directed to use the normal 
prior approval reprogramming procedures to transfer funds in 
the Services' operation and maintenance accounts between O-1 
budget activities, or between sub-activity groups in the case 
of Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide, in excess of 
$15,000,000. In addition, the Secretary of Defense shall follow 
prior approval reprogramming procedures for transfers in excess 
of $15,000,000 out of the following readiness sub-activity 
groups:

    Army:
    Maneuver units
    Modular support brigades
    Land forces operations support
    Aviation assets
    Force readiness operations support
    Land forces depot maintenance
    Base operations support
    Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization
    Specialized skill training
    Flight training

    Navy:
    Mission and other flight operations
    Fleet air training
    Aircraft depot maintenance
    Mission and other ship operations
    Ship depot maintenance
    Combat support forces
    Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization
    Base operating support
    Marine Corps:
    Operational forces
    Field logistics
    Depot maintenance
    Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization

    Air Force:
    Primary combat forces
    Combat enhancement forces
    Depot purchase equipment maintenance
    Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization
    Contractor logistics support and system support
    Flying hour program

    Space Force:
    Global C3I and early warning
    Space operations
    Contractor logistics support and system support
    Administration

    Air Force Reserve:
    Primary combat forces

    Air National Guard:
    Aircraft operations

    Additionally, the Secretary of Defense is directed to use 
normal prior approval reprogramming procedures when 
implementing transfers in excess of $15,000,000 into the 
following budget sub-activities:

    Operation and Maintenance, Air Force:
    Base support

    Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard:
    Base operations support
    Facilities sustainment, restoration, and modernization
    Management and operational headquarters

    Operation and Maintenance, Air National Guard:
    Aircraft operations
    Contractor logistics support and systems support

         REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND

    The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a 
baseline report that shows the Special Operations Command's 
operation and maintenance funding by sub-activity group for the 
fiscal year 2024 appropriation not later than 60 days after the 
enactment of this Act. The Secretary of Defense is further 
directed to submit quarterly execution reports to the 
congressional defense committees not later than 45 days after 
the end of each fiscal quarter that addresses the rationale for 
the realignment of any funds within and between budget sub-
activities and the movement of any base funds used to support 
overseas contingency operations. Finally, the Secretary of 
Defense is directed to notify the congressional defense 
committees 30 days prior to the realignment of funds in excess 
of $15,000,000 between sub-activity groups.

            OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE SPECIAL INTEREST ITEMS

    Items for which additional funds have been provided or have 
been specifically reduced as shown in the project level tables 
or in paragraphs using the phrase ``only for'' or ``only to'' 
in this report are congressional special interest items for the 
purpose of the Base for Reprogramming (DD Form 1414). Each of 
these items must be carried on the DD Form 1414 at the stated 
amount as specifically addressed in this report. Below 
threshold reprogrammings may not be used to either restore or 
reduce funding from congressional special interest items as 
identified on the DD Form 1414.

            OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE BUDGET EXECUTION DATA

    The Secretary of Defense and Service Secretaries are 
directed to provide the congressional defense committees with 
quarterly budget execution data. Such data should be provided 
not later than 45 days after the close of each quarter of the 
fiscal year and should be provided for each O-1 budget 
activity, activity group, and sub-activity group for each of 
the active, defense-wide, reserve, and National Guard 
components. For each O-1 budget activity, activity group, and 
sub-activity group, these reports should include the budget 
request and actual obligations amount, the distribution of 
unallocated congressional adjustments to the budget request, 
all adjustments made by the Department in establishing the Base 
for Reprogramming (DD Form 1414) report, all adjustments 
resulting from below threshold reprogrammings, and all 
adjustments resulting from prior approval reprogramming 
requests.

                          RESTORING READINESS

    The Committee recommendation includes additional readiness 
funds for each of the Services within the operation and 
maintenance accounts which shall only be used to improve 
military readiness, including providing for increased training 
and depot maintenance activities. None of the funding provided 
may be used for recruiting, marketing, or advertising programs. 
The additional funding is a congressional special interest 
item. The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense and the 
Service Secretaries to submit a detailed spend plan by sub-
activity group to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees not less than 30 days prior to the obligation of 
these funds.

         FACILITIES SUSTAINMENT, RESTORATION AND MODERNIZATION

    The Committee is deeply concerned by the state of 
Department of Defense facilities and infrastructure. In 2020, 
the Department reported a $137,000,000,000 backlog of deferred 
facility maintenance projects. This backlog directly impacts 
safety, quality of life for servicemembers, and readiness. The 
Committee is therefore disappointed to see that the fiscal year 
2024 request included over $690,000,000 in facilities 
sustainment, restoration and modernization (FSRM) for projects 
related to climate change mitigation. This diversion of FSRM 
funds misguidedly prioritizes partisan spending priorities over 
the urgent needs of servicemembers. Therefore, the Committee 
directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the 
House and Senate Appropriations Committees, not later than 90 
days after the enactment of this Act, to certify that fiscal 
year 2024 FSRM funds will only be used for the highest priority 
military requirements. This report will also provide a detailed 
plan to address the Department's backlog of deferred 
maintenance and impacts of the continued backlog.

                 ADVERSE IMPACT OF OFFSHORE WIND SITES

    The Committee is concerned about potential adverse effects 
of offshore wind energy development on military readiness and 
training activities, including but not limited to training and 
range complexes in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. The 
Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report 
to the congressional defense committees, not later than 180 
days after the enactment of this Act, on the adverse effects of 
such development proposals and the actions the Department is 
taking to ensure that operations and training are not 
negatively impacted.

                     MEALS READY-TO-EAT WAR RESERVE

    The Committee recommendation supports the fiscal year 2024 
President's budget request for meals ready-to-eat and reaffirms 
its support for the Defense Logistics Agency War Reserve stock 
objective of 5,000,000 cases.

                          TRIBAL CONSULTATION

    The Committee is disappointed that the Secretary of Defense 
has failed, for the past two fiscal years, to submit a report 
to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees outlining how 
the Department is upholding the Presidential Memorandum dated 
January 26, 2021, regarding Tribal Consultation and 
Strengthening Nation-to-Nation Relationships. The Committee 
once again directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report 
to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees not later 
than 60 days after the enactment of this Act as required in 
House Report 117-388.

                          INDIAN FINANCING ACT

    The Committee recommendation includes funds for activities 
authorized in the Indian Financing Act of 1974 and directs the 
Secretary of Defense to obligate such funds not later than 90 
days after the enactment of this Act.

                            FINANCIAL AUDIT

    It remains Congress' intent to increase transparency and 
reduce poor management practices at the Department of Defense; 
therefore, not later than 180 days after the end of each fiscal 
year, the Secretary of Defense shall submit a report to the 
congressional defense committees, for each component that has 
not received an unqualified opinion, on the progress made and 
the significant outstanding challenges to achieve an 
unqualified opinion.
    Further, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) 
recently issued a report entitled, ``DoD Needs to Improve 
System Oversight'' (GAO-23-104539), which includes nine 
recommendations for the Department to address systemic 
deficiencies in Departmental financial and business systems. 
The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a 
briefing to the congressional defense committees, not later 
than 60 days after the enactment of this Act, on the 
Department's plan to implement the GAO recommendations.

                           IMPROPER PAYMENTS

    The Committee is concerned by the volume of improper 
payments made by the Department of Defense. The Department's 
fiscal year 2022 agency financial report stated that it made 
over $2,000,000,000 in improper payments. It also indicated 
that civilian and military pay are susceptible to improper 
payments. Moreover, in fiscal year 2021, the Department's 
Office of the Inspector General found the Department published 
unreliable, improper, and unknown payment estimates for all 
nine Department programs reporting estimates, including 
civilian and military pay.
    Therefore, the Committee directs the Comptroller General to 
provide a preliminary briefing to the congressional defense 
committees not later than April 30, 2024, with a report to 
follow by a mutually agreed upon date, on the following:
    (1) how the Department calculates and reports its estimated 
improper payment rates;
    (2) amounts for civilian and military pay improper 
payments;
    (3) what steps the Department could take to strengthen the 
reliability of its calculation;
    (4) the extent to which the Department's reported civilian 
and military pay improper payment rates differ by organization 
and what factors explain these differences; and
    (5) the extent to which Department is taking steps to 
prevent and reduce improper payments in these programs.

                         ABILITYONE COMPLIANCE

    The Committee notes that the AbilityOne program is a 
critical component of the defense industrial base. The 
Committee is concerned that a growing number of items suitable 
for AbilityOne production are not being procured in accordance 
with the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act (41 U.S.C. 48). The Committee 
directs the Secretary of Defense to ensure compliance with 
existing mandatory source statutes.

                              ADVERTISING

    The Committee understands the federal government, as the 
largest advertiser in the United States, should work to ensure 
fair access to its advertising contracts for small, 
disadvantaged businesses and businesses owned by service-
disabled veterans, minorities and women. The Committee directs 
each agency under jurisdiction of this Act to include the 
following information in its fiscal year 2025 budget 
justification: expenditures for fiscal year 2024 and expected 
expenditures for fiscal year 2025 for all contracts for 
advertising services; contracts for the advertising services of 
socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses 
concerns (as defined in section 8(a)(4) of the Small Business 
Act (15 U.S.C. 637 (a)(4)), and contracts for the advertising 
services of service-disabled veteran-, women-, and minority-
owned businesses.

                               CHILDCARE

    The Committee notes the Department of Defense's efforts to 
increase capacity at childcare development centers. The 
Committee directs the Secretary of Defense and Service 
Secretaries to brief the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment of this 
Act, on the capacity of Department of Defense childcare 
development centers, challenges in hiring sufficient staff, and 
the Department's plan to reduce wait time for dependents of 
servicemembers.

                          DEFENSE COMMISSARIES

    The Committee is concerned that the Defense Commissary 
Agency has not addressed Government Accountability Office (GAO) 
recommendations, to include an analysis of the accuracy of its 
overseas customer savings rate methodology (GAO-22-104728). The 
Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a 
briefing to the congressional defense committees, not later 
than 30 days after the enactment of this Act, on the progress 
toward implementation of the GAO report recommendations.

                        FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

    The Committee is concerned the Department of Defense is 
failing to ensure that food assistance programs are reaching 
military personnel and their families. Therefore, the Committee 
directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the 
congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after 
the enactment of this Act, on the Department's food assistance 
programs. The report shall include any efforts to expand 
assistance, lessons learned from the Department of Veterans 
Affairs programs, and include an analysis on how the 
Department's efforts will meet the needs of at-risk military 
personnel and their families.

             PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES MITIGATION

    Addressing the health effects of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl 
Substances (PFAS) continues to be a priority for the Committee, 
particularly the impacts on servicemembers, their families, and 
local communities. The Committee appreciates that the 
Department of Defense and the Services have been testing 
drinking water and conducting site assessments and remedial 
investigations to fully understand the scope and impacts of 
PFAS migration. Further, the Committee understands that 
existing technologies, such as in situ treatment, have been 
evaluated and proven effective by the Environmental Protection 
Agency. The Committee is therefore disappointed that the 
Department has not begun to employ these technologies in lieu 
of costly and inefficient techniques. The Committee directs the 
Secretary of Defense and Service Secretaries to prioritize the 
utilization of proven PFAS groundwater and soil remediation and 
mitigation technologies that eliminate the PFAS risk to human 
health and the environment in the most cost-effective and 
energy-efficient manner.

       PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES CLEANUP COST REPORTING

    The Committee appreciates regular updates by the Per-and 
Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Task Force. To support the 
Department of Defense's efforts, the Committee directs the 
Secretary of Defense to submit to the House and Senate 
Appropriations Committees, not later than 90 days after the 
enactment of this Act, and semi-annually thereafter, a report 
on costs associated with investigating and cleaning up PFAS at 
sites with funding provided by either environmental restoration 
or operation and maintenance appropriations. The report shall 
provide, for each component and by installation name, the 
investigation and cleanup of PFAS, the actual obligations 
through the end of fiscal year 2021, the actual obligations in 
fiscal year 2022, the planned and actual obligations in fiscal 
year 2023, the planned obligations for fiscal year 2024, and 
the estimated cost after fiscal year 2024.

                       AQUEOUS FILM FORMING FOAM

    Given the limited disposal options available to the 
Department of Defense for Aqueous Film Forming Foams (AFFF) 
waste and the potential benefits of complete, operational 
destruction technologies, the Committee recommendation includes 
$20,000,000 for the Defense Logistics Agency to execute an AFFF 
destruction pilot in support of the Deputy Assistant 
Secretaries of the Air Force and the Army. The pilot shall 
utilize existing scalable destruction technologies that have 
been verified as effective in the field, successful at 
destroying a variety of AFFF formulations, and capable of 
destroying Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) to the 
lowest detectable limits without any hazardous byproducts. 
Further, the Committee is encouraged by the Department's recent 
approval of a military specification for a fire extinguishing 
agent free of harmful PFAS. The Committee urges the Secretary 
of Defense to expedite procurement and usage of this 
replacement agent throughout the Department.

               REMEDIATION OF FORMERLY USED DEFENSE SITES

    The Committee notes 87 percent of contaminated formerly 
used defense sites are in the response complete stage as 
outlined by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-510). 
However, the Committee urges the Department of Defense and Army 
Corps of Engineers to complete assessments and inspections of 
the remaining sites, such as the Lincoln Titan 1 Missile Silo 
Complex, with all deliberate speed, and in the interests of 
transparency, to share the results and any remediation 
recommendations with the public.

                          VIEQUES AND CULEBRA

    The Committee remains concerned by the pace and scope of 
environmental restoration on the island municipalities of 
Vieques and Culebra in Puerto Rico. The Committee encourages 
the Secretaries of the Army and the Navy to work closely with 
the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Fish and 
Wildlife Service, and the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality 
Board to maximize public participation and transparency in the 
decontamination process in order to achieve a thorough 
decontamination result on both islands.
    The Committee is also concerned about public safety on the 
northwest peninsula of Culebra due to unexploded ordnance 
identified there by the Army. The Committee encourages the 
Secretary of the Army to exercise available authorities, 
including the authority clarified through the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015, to decontaminate the 
northwest peninsula. Additionally, the Committee directs the 
Secretaries of the Army and Navy each to submit a report to the 
congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after 
the enactment of this Act, detailing all respective 
decontamination authorities and plans applicable to Vieques and 
Culebra, to include particular emphasis on the decontamination 
of the northwest peninsula of Culebra.
    The Committee also notes there are information gaps about 
the types and amounts of ordnance used on Vieques and Culebra, 
as well as about potential links between the ordnance used and 
present threats to public health. The Committee directs the 
Secretaries of the Army and the Navy to submit a report to the 
congressional defense committees, not later than 60 days after 
the enactment of this Act, on previously released information 
related to the ordnance on the two islands. The Committee also 
urges the Secretaries to publish the relevant documents on the 
internet in a single location and in a user-friendly format.

                 MARITIME CAPABILITIES IN POLAR REGIONS

    The Committee notes that actions by the Russian Federation 
and the People's Republic of China are introducing competition 
and tension into the polar regions. The Committee recognizes 
that 14 U.S.C. 102 tasks the Coast Guard with maintenance and 
operation of United States icebreaking facilities and that this 
capability is integrated into the Tri-Service Maritime 
Strategy. To better understand the evolving national security 
threats in these regions, the Committee directs the Secretary 
of the Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of the 
Navy and Homeland Security, to brief the House and Senate 
Appropriations Committees, not later than 30 days after the 
enactment of this Act, on the Department of Defense's current 
maritime polar capability and capacity and provide a threat-
based assessment of future requirements in the regions.

                    OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, ARMY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Operation and Maintenance, Army:


                ULTRA-LIGHTWEIGHT CAMOUFLAGE NET SYSTEMS

    The Committee is concerned by the Army's recent disapproval 
of divestiture of legacy Ultra-Lightweight Camouflage Net 
Systems (ULCANS). Next generation ULCANS offer unparalleled 
protection for the warfighter and greatly enhance survivability 
against the latest sensor threats. Aside from concerns about 
degradation of readiness, this policy reversal sends negative 
demand signals to a fragile industrial base. Therefore, the 
Committee directs the Secretary of the Army to divest all 
legacy ULCANS by the end of fiscal year 2024, and provide a 
divestment schedule and plan for ULCANS system replacement to 
the House and Senate Appropriations Committees not later than 
120 days after the enactment of this Act.

                       MISSION TRAINING COMPLEXES

    The Committee is concerned that the virtual training 
capabilities of the Army's Mission Training Complexes (MTCs) 
are not sufficient to ensure the rapid deployment envisioned by 
the National Defense Strategy and encourages the Secretary of 
the Army to assess the capacity of MTCs to meet these 
mobilization requirements.

                    OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, NAVY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Operation and Maintenance, Navy:


                            SHIP MAINTENANCE

    The Committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to continue 
to submit quarterly reports to the congressional defense 
committees, beginning not later than 30 days after the 
enactment of this Act, regarding private contracted ship 
maintenance as directed in House Report 116-453 and to submit 
the annual report on ship maintenance required by section 1016 
of Public Law 117-81 to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees in conjunction with its submission to the House and 
Senate Armed Services Committees.

                          AIRFRAME MAINTENANCE

    The Committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to continue 
to submit quarterly reports to the congressional defense 
committees, beginning not later than 30 days after the 
enactment of this Act, on the status of maintenance and repair 
work for each airframe. The report shall include the amount of 
funding budgeted for airframe maintenance in fiscal year 2024 
and the prior three years, the original estimated amount of 
time expected for maintenance activities to be completed, any 
adjustments to the schedule, the reasons why any changes were 
necessary, the new expected timeframe for completion, and any 
additional costs involved.

                  NAVAL AIR WEAPONS STATION CHINA LAKE

    Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake continues to provide 
critical national defense functions while simultaneously 
rebuilding from a series of earthquakes in 2019. The Committee 
appreciates the Navy's focused reconstruction efforts. The 
Secretary of the Navy is encouraged to continue to prioritize 
earthquake recovery efforts and to maintain communications with 
the local community.

                         NAVAL STATION MAYPORT

    The Committee is concerned that the tenuous future of the 
Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ships, and lack of a near-term 
small surface combatant replacement at Naval Station Mayport, 
is creating uncertainty for the installation and regional 
industrial base. The Committee notes the importance of Naval 
Station Mayport and recognizes that a lapse in capability could 
negatively impact fleet readiness for multiple combatant 
commanders. Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of 
the Navy to submit a report to the congressional defense 
committees, not later than 120 days after the enactment of this 
Act, with a 10-year strategic plan for Naval Station Mayport. 
This report shall include an assessment of current and future 
ship assignments and a plan to ensure continuity of mission.

                         CONTRACT AIR SERVICES

    The Committee notes the critical role that contract air 
services play in meeting the Navy's annual adversary air 
training requirement. As the Navy completes its analysis of 
alternatives on red air, training, and proficiency, the 
Committee encourages the Secretary of the Navy to continue the 
robust and persistent use of contract adversary air to augment 
organic assets and simulated technologies.

                OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, MARINE CORPS

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps:


                  OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, AIR FORCE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Operation and Maintenance, Air Force:


                            PILOT SHORTFALL

    Despite strong support from Congress, the Air Force 
continues to fail to meet its annual pilot training goal. The 
Committee is deeply concerned that an enduring pilot production 
shortfall, coupled with increased attrition of experienced 
pilots, will leave the Air Force unable to meet its National 
Defense Strategy responsibilities. Further, the Committee 
supports concepts such as remote simulator instruction to 
alleviate known pilot production constraints and encourages the 
Air Force to use all available authorities to meet its training 
goal. To ensure continued oversight of this critical issue, the 
Committee directs the Commander of Air Education and Training 
Command and the Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations at Air 
Force Headquarters to provide quarterly updates on efforts to 
address the pilot shortfall to the House and Senate 
Appropriations Committees beginning not later than 45 days 
after the enactment of this Act.

                   REFUELING CAPABILITIES FOR ISRAEL

    The Committee understands the Government of Israel intends 
to recapitalize its tanker aircraft fleet with the KC-46, with 
deliveries planned for 2025. Due to increased hostilities in 
the region, it is important that Israeli operators are 
expeditiously trained to use these new aircraft prior to their 
delivery. The Committee urges the Secretary of the Air Force to 
consider the training and operational benefits of deploying KC-
46s to Israel to help train Israeli operators, support United 
States Central Command operations, and deter Iran's malign 
activities in the region.

                       AIRLIFT READINESS ACCOUNT

    The Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force, in 
coordination with the Commander, United States Transportation 
Command, to submit a report to the House and Senate 
Appropriations Committees, not later than 120 days after the 
enactment of this Act, that assesses the utility and 
suitability of the Airlift Readiness Account as a source of 
direct appropriations into the Transportation Working Capital 
Fund. The report shall include alternative budgetary processes 
that maintain stable rates and working capital solvency while 
reducing reliance on the Airlift Readiness Account.

                        CYBER MISSION ASSURANCE

    The Committee notes the importance of proactively 
protecting Department of Defense weapon systems from cyber 
attacks and commends the enhanced cyber posture of Pacific Air 
Forces as a result of the Cyber Operations for Base Resilient 
Architecture (COBRA) pilot program. The Committee encourages 
the Secretary of the Air Force to expand the COBRA pilot 
program to other component commands as part of an overall 
mission assurance strategy.

                 OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, SPACE FORCE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Operation and Maintenance, Space Force:


                OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, DEFENSE-WIDE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide:


                    DEFENSE HUMAN RESOURCES ACTIVITY

    The Committee is increasingly concerned that the Defense 
Human Resources Activity (DHRA) may be performing functions 
that overlap with, or are duplicative of, functions implemented 
by other components of the Department of Defense. Therefore, 
the Committee directs the Comptroller General to conduct an 
assessment of the following:
    (1) the extent to which the Department's Office of 
Performance Improvement is conducting periodic reviews of the 
defense agencies and field activities;
    (2) the extent to which the Department has assessed the 
efficiency and effectiveness of DHRA as part of these periodic 
reviews or through other assessments;
    (3) the common services performed by DHRA for the 
Department and what organizations or populations are the users 
of those services;
    (4) the extent to which there is duplication, overlap, or 
fragmentation in the services provided by DHRA and other 
agencies or field activities, or other offices and 
organizations such as the military departments; and
    (5) the extent to which effective oversight is provided to 
DHRA and its operations by the Under Secretary of Defense for 
Personnel and Readiness.
    The Committee directs the Comptroller General to provide a 
preliminary briefing on the assessment to the congressional 
defense committees not later than April 30, 2024 with a report 
to follow by a mutually agreed upon date.

                FOURTH ESTATE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

    The Committee understands that multiple defense agencies 
and field activities currently provide human resource functions 
with varying quality of service. The Committee is concerned 
that the current dispersal of these functions is inefficient, 
contributes to hiring delays, and hinders the recruitment of 
talented professionals. The Committee therefore directs the 
Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the congressional 
defense committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment 
of this Act, that assesses the efficiency and effectiveness of 
the current Fourth Estate human resources shared service 
providers and recommendations to improve such operations.

                  RED HILL BULK FUEL STORAGE FACILITY

    The Committee continues to closely monitor the Department 
of Defense's defueling and dispersal actions at the Red Hill 
Bulk Fuel Storage Facility. The Committee directs the Secretary 
of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Navy, to 
continue to take the necessary steps to safely decommission the 
facility, remediate the surrounding environment, assess and 
address the harm caused to the aquifer, work in conjunction 
with the State of Hawaii and the local community in these 
efforts, and build a more distributive fuel infrastructure for 
the Indo-Pacific. The Committee recommendation supports the 
$106,363,000 requested by the Department in fiscal year 2024 
toward these efforts.
    For efforts in Hawaii, the Committee directs the Secretary 
of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Navy, to 
submit quarterly updates in the form of written reports, 
beginning not later than 45 days after the enactment of this 
Act, to the congressional defense committees on obligations, 
health care and health surveillance efforts for those impacted 
by contaminated drinking water, progress toward decommissioning 
the facility, and community engagement efforts.
    For efforts to move the fuel from Red Hill to other 
locations in the Indo-Pacific, the Committee directs the 
Secretary of Defense to submit quarterly updates, in the form 
of written reports, beginning not later than 45 days after the 
enactment of this Act, to the congressional defense committees 
on obligations, new locations of fuel previously stored in the 
facility, efforts to build new fuel storage locations, a 
summary of any planning and design efforts for potential 
projects to store bulk fuel in the region, and efforts to 
improve the survivability of existing and new fuel storage 
locations. Information contained in these reports may be 
provided with a classified annex.

                         IMPACT AID ELIGIBILITY

    The Committee strongly supports the Impact Aid and Impact 
Aid for Children with Disabilities programs. However, the 
Committee is concerned by possible discrepancies in how local 
education agencies eligible for both programs receive funding. 
The Committee directs the Director of the Department of Defense 
Education Activity to submit a report to the congressional 
defense committees, not later than 60 days after the enactment 
of this Act, that addresses any such inconsistencies.

                              THUNDERDOME

    The fiscal year 2024 President's budget request proposes 
changes in funding for Department-wide cybersecurity programs 
and an increase in funds for activities related to Thunderdome, 
the Defense Information System Agency's (DISA) prototype and 
initial implementation of enterprise-wide zero trust 
architecture. The request is premised on the phasing out of the 
Joint Regional Security Stacks and the near-term realignment of 
funds towards critical cybersecurity programs including Comply-
to-Connect (C2C). DISA has indicated to the Committee that C2C 
is foundational to zero trust implementation for the Department 
of Defense by providing the ability to identify and control all 
endpoints, traditional and non-traditional, across the 
Department of Defense Information Network. As DISA transitions 
to a zero trust architecture and completes necessary testing 
and certification of Thunderdome capabilities, the Committee 
supports continuation of C2C to support the cybersecurity of 
the Department of Defense and the Services. The Committee 
directs the Director of DISA, in consultation with the Under 
Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) with respect to funding, to 
submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not 
later than 30 days after the submission of the fiscal year 2025 
President's budget request, on development, test, and 
validation activities related to Thunderdome. The report shall 
include plans for deployment of Thunderdome across the Services 
and defense agencies, an explanation of how capabilities 
deployed via C2C will integrate with and enable the Thunderdome 
program, an assessment of the funding requirements for the 
Services and defense agencies to access and deploy Thunderdome 
capabilities provided by DISA, and the extent to which these 
funding requirements are included in the fiscal year 2025 
President's budget request.

                     INTERNET OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

    The Committee notes the progress made by Joint Force 
Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network (JFHQ-
DODIN) to improve enterprise-wide visibility into departmental 
networks through Internet Operations Management (IOM), a 
critical component of ongoing efforts to harden these networks. 
The Committee believes the additional network visibility this 
capability provides can significantly reduce risk if seamlessly 
integrated with state-of-the-art security orchestration and 
automation capability deployable in the Services' and United 
States Cyber Command's big data platforms. However, despite the 
need to expand this capability Department-wide, to date only 18 
of 45 Department of Defense Areas of Operation have been 
provided access to this capability through the IOM program. The 
Committee recommends an additional $11,000,000 above the 
President's budget request with the intent of funding DODIN-
wide expansion of IOM by the end of fiscal year 2024. The 
Committee directs the Commander, JFHQ-DODIN, to submit a report 
to the congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days 
after the enactment of this Act, on plans to fully deploy IOM 
capability Department-wide and integrate security orchestration 
and automation capability into the IOM program. The report 
shall include a summary of the deployment plan, milestones and 
associated timelines to complete the deployment plan, and a 
description of any additional resources needed to complete the 
deployment plan by the end of fiscal year 2024.

                    IMPROVING CYBERSECURITY POSTURE

    The Committee notes and commends the efforts of the 
Department of Defense and interagency partners to improve 
overall government cyber resilience through the practice of 
domain name system filtering. The Committee encourages the 
Secretary of Defense to leverage the Department's test and 
proving ground capabilities to evaluate leading industry 
capabilities, including automated internet protocol filtering, 
and deep packet inspection based on real-time data that can 
detect and mitigate potential exfiltration from compromised 
hardware.

                        CIVILIAN CYBER WORKFORCE

    The Committee recognizes the challenge that the Department 
of Defense faces in hiring individuals with necessary security 
clearances for the cyber workforce. The Committee encourages 
the Secretary of Defense to find innovative solutions to 
improve the workforce, and notes the report on this matter 
provided by the Department in 2020. The Committee continues to 
believe the Department of Defense should collaborate with 
colleges and universities to recruit cyber-focused students 
during their junior or senior years, with the intent that upon 
graduation a student will have a completed security clearance. 
The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit an 
update to the 2020 report to the congressional defense 
committees not later than 60 days after the enactment of this 
Act.

         QUARTERLY REPORTS ON GUANTANAMO BAY DETENTION FACILITY

    The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit 
quarterly reports to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees on the current number of detainees at the Guantanamo 
Bay detention facility; their legal status; a description of 
all Department of Defense costs associated with the facility 
during the last two fiscal years by program, account, and 
activity; and the status of funds for the current fiscal year.

                               ABBEY GATE

    The Committee expects the Secretary of Defense and the 
Commander of United States Central Command to relentlessly 
pursue those individuals who planned and perpetrated the 
suicide bombing attack at the Hamid Karzai International 
Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 26, 2021, to keep the 
congressional defense committees informed of efforts to hold 
those individuals to account, and to make as much of this 
information as possible available to the public.

          QUARTERLY BRIEFINGS ON DEPLOYMENTS OF UNITED STATES
                              ARMED FORCES

    The Committee appreciates the Department of Defense's 
quarterly briefings on the deployment of United States Armed 
Forces by geographic combatant command, which is important for 
congressional oversight, and directs that these briefings 
continue.

                             FOREIGN BASES

    The Act continues the requirement for the Secretary of 
Defense to notify the congressional defense committees of the 
opening or closing of foreign bases. The Committee is concerned 
by basing and funding decisions being made without consultation 
with Congress. Accordingly, the Committee directs the Secretary 
of Defense to keep the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees apprised of any ongoing discussions with foreign 
governments that may lead to the opening or closing of a 
foreign base.

              DEFENSE SECURITY COOPERATION AGENCY PROGRAMS

    The Secretary of Defense shall, not later than 30 days 
after the enactment of this Act, submit to the House and Senate 
Appropriations Committees a detailed spend plan for amounts 
made available for the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The 
plan shall include amounts planned for each program listed in 
the budget justification documents and, for International 
Security Cooperation Programs, amounts provided in the prior 
two fiscal years and planned for fiscal year 2024 by combatant 
command, country, and authority. The plan shall only reflect 
amounts requested in the fiscal year 2024 budget justification 
materials as modified by fiscal year 2024 appropriations, and 
the Secretary of Defense shall notify such Committees in 
writing not less than 15 days prior to obligating funds in a 
manner that would deviate from the plan. A similar document 
with requested amounts shall be provided to such Committees 
concurrent with the submission of the fiscal year 2025 
President's budget request.
    The Committee recommendation includes $1,343,580,000 for 
International Security Cooperation Programs and directs that 
congressional notifications for these funds specify the fiscal 
year, whether funds support ongoing or new programs, and the 
duration and expected cost over the life of each program. The 
Committee recommendation includes $108,000,000 for Taiwan, 
which is twice the amount provided in fiscal year 2023. Such 
funds are provided for urgent and high priority defense 
articles and defense services that strengthen United States 
national security and increase Taiwan's readiness and ability 
to deter aggression and defend itself, including coastal 
defense, command, control, communications, computers, 
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR), and 
programs to promote regional interoperability. The Committee 
expects these programs to be integrated with other security 
assistance programs in a manner that complements rather than 
duplicates efforts and directs the Secretary of Defense to 
submit a spend plan to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees not later than 60 days after the enactment of this 
Act. The Committee also supports training programs for Taiwan, 
including through the National Guard State Partnership Program 
or similar programs, as well as strategic evaluations to 
improve Taiwan's security cooperation programs.
    The Committee notes the urgency of maintaining an effective 
deterrent and directs the Secretary of Defense to prioritize 
the delivery of defense articles and defense services to 
Taiwan. The Committee also directs the Secretary of Defense to, 
not later than 45 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, submit a report to the congressional defense committees 
describing urgent and high priority defense articles and 
defense services for fiscal year 2024 and fiscal year 2025 and 
steps taken or planned by the Department of Defense to expedite 
the delivery of such articles and services.
    The Committee recommendation includes $32,000,000 for 
International Security Cooperation Programs for Mexico, 
including $20,220,000 above the request for programs to counter 
illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids and the transnational 
criminal organizations, particularly the Sinaloa and Jalisco 
drug cartels, that have perpetrated the fentanyl crisis. The 
Committee recommendation also supports institutional capacity 
building programs for Mexico. The Committee supports the 
inclusion of Mexico in the National Guard State Partnership 
Program to enhance Mexico's counterdrug efforts.
    The Committee notes the shared security challenges between 
Mexico and its Central and South American neighbors and 
believes these issues would receive greater attention if they 
were unified under United States Southern Command. Accordingly, 
the Act provides that United States Southern Command shall 
assume combatant command responsibility for activities related 
to Mexico not later than 180 days of the enactment of this Act.
    The Committee recommendation supports programs to 
strengthen the relationship with the Colombian Armed Forces in 
support of shared security interests in the region. These 
programs support Colombian capabilities in the area of rotary 
wing transportation and maintenance; maritime interdiction; 
special operations force development; intelligence, 
surveillance, and reconnaissance; and institutional capacity to 
sustain their military. The Committee notes that Colombia has a 
National Guard State Partnership Program with the South 
Carolina National Guard.
    The Committee encourages the Secretary of Defense to focus 
institutional capacity building on fewer programs, on deeper 
and more sustainable results, and on countries that have 
complementary training and equipment programs. The Committee 
directs the Secretary of Defense to consult with the House and 
Senate Appropriations Committees on these issues not later than 
45 days after the enactment of this Act.
    The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to consult 
with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on amounts 
provided above the request for International Security 
Cooperation Programs for countries in United States Central 
Command not later than 30 days after the enactment of this Act.
    The Committee supports efforts to improve the Foreign 
Military Sales process, which is essential for United States 
partnerships and an important component of strategic 
competition. Accordingly, the Committee directs the Secretary 
of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to 
provide a briefing to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees, not later than 30 days after the enactment of this 
Act, on the results of the Foreign Military Sales process 
review and measures taken or planned to streamline performance.
    The Committee supports increased measures to ensure that 
security cooperation programs supported by this Act are 
strategic, address clearly defined goals and objectives, and 
are integrated with other programs. Accordingly, not later than 
90 days after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees an integrated 
security cooperation strategy for Iraq, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, 
Ecuador, and Somalia. Each strategy shall include an overview 
of the security relationship between the United States and the 
country; a description of the goals, objectives, and milestones 
of security cooperation programs and initiatives supported by 
the Department of Defense and the Department of State; a 
description of how programs complement rather than duplicate 
one another; funding by account and program for fiscal year 
2024 and the prior two fiscal years; and a description of host 
country capabilities and financial contributions towards shared 
security goals.
    The Committee notes that international security cooperation 
programs funded under this heading are subject to 10 U.S.C. 
362, which prohibits 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. The Committee also expects the Secretary of 
Defense to withhold assistance for a unit of a foreign security 
force if the Secretary has credible information that the unit 
has used United States military assistance against United 
States personnel and directs the Secretary of Defense to inform 
the congressional defense committees of any such misuse. 
Further, the Committee is concerned about end-use monitoring of 
assistance provided under this heading and expects the 
Department of Defense to implement any outstanding Government 
Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations related to end-use 
monitoring, including GAO-23-105856, not later than 60 days 
after the enactment of this Act.
    The Committee remains interested in evaluations of security 
cooperation programs with Northern Triangle countries and 
expects the Secretary of Defense to keep the Committee apprised 
of any such evaluations. The Committee is also interested in 
Army Security Force Assistance Brigade deployments, and any 
congressional notification made pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 321 or 10 
U.S.C. 333 should include a description of the number of 
individuals deployed and their training; the amount, type, and 
purpose of the training and equipment to be provided to the 
recipient country's security forces; the timeline and source of 
funds; and how the proposed program fits into the overall 
security cooperation goals of the brigade or country.
    The Committee directs that any notification for border 
security submitted to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees indicate the costs for reimbursement, by category, 
and the dates on which such costs were incurred by the partner 
country and submitted to the United States government. The 
Committee also supports programs to build partner capacity in 
the area of cybersecurity, including through the Institute for 
Security Governance and Regional Centers.
    The Committee notes the significant unobligated balances 
from prior year appropriations, and the recommendation includes 
a rescission of funds. The Committee directs that such funds 
are not derived from congressional priorities, including 
programs increased by fiscal year 2023 appropriations. The 
Secretary of Defense is directed to consult with the House and 
Senate Appropriations Committees with respect to such 
rescission not later than 30 days after the enactment of this 
Act.

                       BURDEN-SHARING FOR UKRAINE

    The Committee recommends a focus on burden-sharing for 
Ukraine and expects the Administration to work with other 
nations to do their fair share. Not later than 60 days after 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in 
coordination with the Secretary of State, shall submit a report 
to the congressional defense committees on commitments and 
contributions of defense articles and defense services made by 
foreign governments to Ukraine since the February 24, 2022, 
Russian invasion of Ukraine. The report shall include a brief 
description of each commitment and contribution, including the 
approximate value, by country and date; efforts to coordinate 
international commitments and contributions with United States 
security assistance; steps taken or planned by the 
Administration to increase international commitments and 
contributions; and any use of the contribution authority 
provided under Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide in Title 
II of Division M of the Additional Ukraine Supplemental 
Appropriations Act, 2023. The report shall be submitted in 
unclassified form but may be accompanied by a classified annex.

                    MANAGEMENT OF FUNDS FOR UKRAINE

    The Committee requires enhanced oversight and 
accountability measures for funds appropriated for Ukraine and 
is concerned with Department of Defense financial management 
practices that have resulted in the improper accounting and 
overvaluation of billions of dollars of military equipment 
destined for Ukraine. If this error had been corrected earlier, 
it could have allowed the Department to send more equipment to 
Ukraine ahead of Ukraine's counteroffensive. The Committee 
directs the Comptroller General of the United States to review 
the Department of Defense's execution of presidential drawdown 
authority and related funding and notifications since the 
February 24, 2022, Russian invasion of Ukraine and to submit a 
report on its findings to the congressional defense committees 
not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act.

                        EXCESS DEFENSE ARTICLES

    The Committee directs the Comptroller General of the United 
States to review the Department of Defense excess defense 
articles program, which transfers excess defense equipment to 
foreign governments or international organizations. The review 
shall include the Department's process for identifying 
available equipment and recipients; the extent to which the 
program is integrated with other security cooperation programs 
and priorities; the Department's activities to monitor articles 
after they have been delivered; the disposition of significant 
articles five years after they have been transferred; and the 
overall effectiveness of the program. The Comptroller shall 
submit a report along with recommendations to the congressional 
defense committees not later than 120 days after the enactment 
of this Act.

                MILITARY INFORMATION SUPPORT OPERATIONS

    The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, included 
direction to the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Special 
Operations Low Intensity Conflict) to submit a spend plan to 
the congressional defense committees regarding Military 
Information Support Operations (MISO). The classified annex 
accompanying the explanatory statement to the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2023, included additional direction 
considering the modified budget structure for appropriations 
for MISO. The Committee modifies those requirements and directs 
the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Special Operations Low 
Intensity Conflict) to submit a spend plan annually for the 
upcoming fiscal year, not later than 15 days upon submission of 
the budget request, and another report, not later than 30 days 
after the enactment of this Act. Both reports shall justify 
funding by combatant command to include narratives on how the 
funding maps to the main pillars of the National Defense 
Strategy. The enacted levels will serve as the baseline for 
reprogramming in accordance with section 8007 of this Act. 
Adjustments during the execution year shall be notified as part 
of the quarterly information operations briefings as directed 
within section 1631 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116-92). All other annual 
reporting requirements are rescinded.

           READINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION INITIATIVE

    To preserve Department of Defense installations and range 
capabilities that ensure realistic training and testing for the 
current and future force, the Committee supports the fiscal 
year 2024 request for the Readiness and Environmental 
Protection Initiative.

                          STUDENT INTERNSHIPS

    The Committee supports efforts to enhance access to 
internship opportunities through the Department of Defense to a 
broad cross section of students of all backgrounds, with an 
emphasis on women, with majors in science, engineering, and 
math. As such, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense 
to support such efforts with a particular emphasis on Science, 
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) national 
security fields to include artificial intelligence, software 
engineering, and operational testing.

                             INSIDER THREAT

    The Committee is aware that Executive Order 13587 
established the Insider Threat Task Force, co-chaired by the 
Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General, and 
requires, in coordination with appropriate agencies, the 
development of minimum standards and guidance for 
implementation of a government-wide insider threat policy. The 
Department of Defense further directed that the combatant 
commands and other Department organizations implement the 
National Insider Threat Policy and Minimum Standards for 
Executive Branch Insider Threat Programs. Insider threats can 
be detected and prevented if capabilities are employed to 
provide fusion and timely analysis of available data sources. 
The Committee further understands that U.S. Cyber Command 
issued instructions outlining the roles and responsibilities 
within the command to establish an insider threat program. The 
Committee is concerned that the program may not be adequately 
resourced and is therefore unable to meet program requirements, 
which is critical to detect and mitigate insider threats to the 
Command and all components of the Joint Cyber Warfighting 
Architecture. The Committee supports this initiative and 
directs the Commander, U.S. Cyber Command to brief the House 
and Senate Appropriations Committees on plans to resource this 
program not later than 30 days after the enactment of this Act.

                   COUNTER-ISIS TRAIN AND EQUIP FUND

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
the Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund:

                                    EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS
                                            [In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        Budget       Committee      Change from
                                                                       Request      Recommended       Request
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Iraq Train and Equip...............................................      241,950         241,950               0
Syria Train and Equip..............................................      156,000         156,000               0
                                                                    --------------------------------------------
    TOTAL, COUNTER-ISIS TRAIN AND EQUIP FUND.......................      397,950         397,950               0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee recommendation continues support for the 
Iraqi Security Forces, Kurdish Peshmerga, and the Syrian 
Democratic Forces to participate in activities to counter the 
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The Committee directs that 
congressional notifications for funds provided under this 
heading include a description of the amount, type, and purpose 
of assistance to be funded, and the recipient of the 
assistance; the budget and implementation timeline, with 
anticipated delivery schedule for assistance; and a description 
of any material misuse of assistance since the last 
notification was submitted, along with a description of any 
remedies taken.
    The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to consult 
with the House and Senate Appropriations Committees prior to 
submitting any notification that includes fortification or 
construction for detention facilities or internally displaced 
persons camps. Such notifications shall include detailed 
information on the scope of proposed projects and on any 
contributions from foreign governments.
    The Committee notes the release of the Administration's Al-
Hol Action Plan for internally displaced persons camps in 
northern Syria. The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense 
to develop timelines and milestones for Department of Defense-
related activities under the plan and to brief the House and 
Senate Appropriations Committees on progress made not later 
than 60 days after the enactment of this Act.
    The Committee is concerned with the accountability of funds 
provided under this heading for stipend support in Syria. 
Therefore, the Act includes a provision making funds 
unavailable until the Secretary of Defense reports to the House 
and Senate Appropriations Committees that measures are in place 
to ensure accountability of these funds. The report shall 
include a detailed description of these measures as well as any 
changes adopted to address the findings and recommendations in 
Inspector General Report No. DODIG-2022-128.
    The Committee notes the significant unobligated balances 
from prior year appropriations and the recommendation includes 
a rescission of funds. The Committee directs that such funds 
are not derived from support planned for the Kurdish Peshmerga. 
The Secretary of Defense is directed to consult with the House 
and Senate Appropriations Committees with respect to such 
rescission not later than 30 days after the enactment of this 
Act.

                OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, ARMY RESERVE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Operation and Maintenance, Army Reserve:


                  RESERVE COMPONENT MANDATORY TRAINING

    The Committee is concerned that members of the reserve 
components face challenges in accessing mandatory military 
training from their home of record. The inability to quickly 
register for such courses impedes force readiness and misuses 
inactive duty training periods which could be devoted to 
mission critical tasks. The Committee directs the Secretary of 
Defense to submit a report to the House and Senate 
Appropriations Committees, not later than 120 days after the 
enactment of this Act, on actions the Department of Defense 
will take to remove these barriers.

                OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, NAVY RESERVE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Operation and Maintenance, Navy Reserve:


            OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, MARINE CORPS RESERVE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps Reserve:


              OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, AIR FORCE RESERVE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Operation and Maintenance, Air Force Reserve:


             OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard:


                       VIRTUAL LANGUAGE TRAINING

    The Committee notes that foreign language skills are 
instrumental in building and maintaining global alliances and 
partnerships and encourages the National Guard Bureau to 
continue its virtual language training program. The Committee 
further directs the Chief of the National Guard Bureau to 
submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not 
later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act, that 
includes the number of Guardsmen receiving virtual language 
training and level of proficiency achieved, a description of 
program marketing and sign-up procedures, a listing of classes 
and languages taught, a comparison of language training offered 
with current State Partnership Program participants, and 
funding programmed for National Guard language training through 
the future years defense program.

             OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, AIR NATIONAL GUARD

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Operation and Maintenance, Air National Guard:


                 TACTICAL AIR CONTROL PARTY DIVESTITURE

    The Committee is concerned about the Air Force's potential 
divestiture of Tactical Air Control Party units from the Air 
National Guard prior to the completion of an evaluation by the 
Air Force. Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of 
the Air Force to refrain from taking any action to reduce the 
number of Tactical Air Control Party units in the Air National 
Guard until the Air Force, in consultation with the National 
Guard Bureau, has completed its evaluation.

                   COMBAT READINESS TRAINING CENTERS

    The Committee is concerned about reductions in the fiscal 
year 2024 President's budget request for operation of the Air 
National Guard's four combat readiness training centers. The 
Committee notes the centers' critical role in training airmen 
through robust joint aerial combat exercises against simulated 
near-peer threats. The Committee directs the Secretary of the 
Air Force to provide adequate and consistent resources for the 
continuation of such training.

          UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ARMED FORCES


 
 
 
Fiscal year 2024 budget request.......................       $16,620,000
Committee recommendation..............................        16,620,000
Change from budget request............................             - - -
 

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $16,620,000 
for the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

                    ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, ARMY


 
 
 
Fiscal year 2024 budget request.......................      $198,760,000
Committee recommendation..............................       198,760,000
Change from budget request............................             - - -
 

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $198,760,000 
for Environmental Restoration, Army.

                    ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, NAVY


 
 
 
Fiscal year 2024 budget request.......................      $335,240,000
Committee recommendation..............................       345,240,000
Change from budget request............................       +10,000,000
 

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $345,240,000 
for Environmental Restoration, Navy.

                  ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, AIR FORCE


 
 
 
Fiscal year 2024 budget request.......................      $349,744,000
Committee recommendation..............................       359,744,000
Change from budget request............................       +10,000,000
 

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $359,744,000 
for Environmental Restoration, Air Force.

                ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, DEFENSE-WIDE


 
 
 
Fiscal year 2024 budget request.......................        $8,965,000
Committee recommendation..............................         8,965,000
Change from budget request............................             - - -
 

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $8,965,000 for 
Environmental Restoration, Defense-Wide.

         ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION, FORMERLY USED DEFENSE SITES


 
 
 
Fiscal year 2024 budget request.......................      $232,806,000
Committee recommendation..............................       232,806,000
Change from budget request............................             - - -
 

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $232,806,000 
for Environmental Restoration, Formerly Used Defense Sites. The 
Committee expects the Secretary of Defense and the Service 
Secretaries to execute the Military Munitions Response Program 
in a manner consistent with the budget request.

             OVERSEAS HUMANITARIAN, DISASTER, AND CIVIC AID

    The Committee recommends the following appropriation for 
Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid:

                                    EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS
                                            [In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        Budget       Committee      Change from
                                                                       Request      Recommended       Request
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOREIGN DISASTER RELIEF............................................       20,000          22,500           2,500
    Program increase...............................................                        2,500
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE............................................       79,900         100,000          20,100
    Program increase...............................................                       20,100
HUMANITARIAN MINE ACTION PROGRAM...................................       15,000          20,000           5,000
    Program increase...............................................                        5,000
                                                                    --------------------------------------------
        TOTAL, OVERSEAS HUMANITARIAN, DISASTER, AND CIVIC AID......      114,900         142,500          27,600
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a 
spend plan for Humanitarian Assistance and the Humanitarian 
Mine Action Program to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees not later than 45 days after the enactment of this 
Act. The plan shall include amounts planned for each combatant 
command, country, and program area, as well as a comparison to 
funding provided in the previous two fiscal years. Such 
information shall be included in the justification materials 
that accompany the fiscal year 2025 President's budget request.
    The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to inform 
the House and Senate Appropriations Committees of any planned 
foreign disaster relief not later than 72 hours following a 
disaster declaration that involves a request for Department of 
Defense support.

                  COOPERATIVE THREAT REDUCTION ACCOUNT

    The Committee recommends the following appropriation for 
the Cooperative Threat Reduction Account:

                                    EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS
                                            [In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        Budget       Committee      Change from
                                                                       Request      Recommended       Request
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strategic Offensive Arms Elimination...............................        6,815           6,815               0
Chemical Weapons Destruction.......................................       16,400          16,400               0
Global Nuclear Security............................................       19,406          19,406               0
Biological Threat Reduction Program................................      228,030         228,030               0
Proliferation Prevention Program...................................       46,324          46,324               0
Other Assessments/Admin Costs......................................       34,024          34,024               0
                                                                    --------------------------------------------
    TOTAL, COOPERATIVE THREAT REDUCTION ACCOUNT....................      350,999         350,999               0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ACQUISITION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT


 
 
 
Fiscal year 2024 budget request.......................       $54,977,000
Committee recommendation..............................        54,977,000
Change from budget request............................             - - -
 

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $54,977,000 
for the Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Development 
Account.

                               TITLE III

                              PROCUREMENT

    The fiscal year 2024 Department of Defense procurement 
budget request and the Committee recommendation are summarized 
in the table below:


            REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE FOR ACQUISITION ACCOUNTS

    The Secretary of Defense is directed to continue to follow 
the reprogramming guidance as specified in the report 
accompanying the House version of the Department of Defense 
Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2008 (House Report 110-
279). Specifically, the dollar threshold for reprogramming 
funds shall be $10,000,000 for procurement and research, 
development, test and evaluation.
    Also, the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) is 
directed to continue to provide the congressional defense 
committees quarterly, spreadsheet-based DD Form 1416 reports 
for Service and defense-wide accounts in titles III and IV of 
this Act. Reports for titles III and IV shall comply with the 
guidance specified in the explanatory statement accompanying 
the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006. The 
Department shall continue to follow the limitation that prior 
approval reprogramming actions are set at either the specified 
dollar threshold or 20 percent of the procurement or research, 
development, test and evaluation line, whichever is less. These 
thresholds are cumulative from the base for reprogramming value 
as modified by any adjustments. Therefore, if the combined 
value of transfers into or out of a procurement (P-1) or 
research, development, test and evaluation (R-1) line exceeds 
the identified threshold, the Secretary of Defense must submit 
a prior approval reprogramming to the congressional defense 
committees. In addition, guidelines on the application of prior 
approval reprogramming procedures for congressional special 
interest items are established elsewhere in this report.

                           FUNDING INCREASES

    The funding increases outlined in these tables shall be 
provided only for the specific purposes indicated in the 
tables.

                   PROCUREMENT SPECIAL INTEREST ITEMS

    Items for which additional funds have been recommended or 
items for which funding is specifically reduced as shown in the 
project level tables detailing recommended adjustments or in 
paragraphs using the phrase ``only for'' or ``only to'' in this 
report are congressional special interest items for the purpose 
of the Base for Reprogramming (DD Form 1414). Each of these 
items must be carried on the DD Form 1414 at the stated amount, 
as specifically addressed elsewhere in this report.

                            MUNITIONS STOCK

    The Committee remains concerned by the insufficient 
quantity and capability in the Department of Defense's 
munitions inventory. While some of this is the result of 
support to Ukraine and supply chain challenges, it is not clear 
the industrial base is well-postured to meet the rising demand. 
The Committee encourages the Secretary of Defense to increase 
stockpiles of existing munitions and expedite the delivery of 
those in development. More importantly, the Committee 
encourages the Department to leverage non-traditional suppliers 
working in conjunction with the traditional defense industrial 
base to broaden the sources of components and materials to 
better posture the Nation in time of crisis. The Committee 
believes that broadening these sources creates resiliency in 
the supply chain and could be a catalyst for novel munitions to 
create new dilemmas for the adversary. Therefore, the Committee 
directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and 
Engineering, in coordination with Under Secretary of Defense 
for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Director of the Defense 
Innovation Unit, and the munitions program executive officers 
in the Services to submit a report to the congressional defense 
committees not later than 120 days after the enactment of this 
Act. The report shall identify current and future munitions 
shortfalls, areas of greatest operational risk in the most 
pressing theaters, novel munitions employment approaches to 
create platform optionality and reduce integration cost, 
munitions that are currently being produced by non-traditional 
suppliers, potential sources of low-cost components through 
non-traditional suppliers, viable paths for system integration 
through non-traditional suppliers or relationships with 
traditional suppliers, and a strategy for leveraging a broader 
industrial base for expanding munitions capability and 
capacity.

                          ROCKET MOTOR SUPPLY

    The Committee is concerned about risk in the development 
and production capacity of rocket propulsion, particularly of 
solid rocket motors needed to build a critical munitions 
stockpile. The Committee supports efforts to increase the 
capacity of the existing supplier base, as well as initiatives 
to reduce vulnerability in the supply chain with a broader 
industrial base. Additionally, the Committee encourages the 
Department to use the authorities and resources of the Office 
of Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment 
Prioritization and other mechanisms to expand this industrial 
base.

          ADVANCED LIGHTWEIGHT STAINLESS STEEL FOR AMMUNITION

    The Committee is encouraged bySpecial Operations Command's 
(SOCOM) progress on the design, development, and testing of 
advanced stainless steel lightweight ammunition casing and 
links. The Committee encourages the Commander, SOCOM and the 
Secretary of the Army to continue exploring and refining the 
use of advanced lightweight stainless steel cased ammunitions 
and ammunition links across all calibers to reduce ammunition 
weight, improve mobility, and enhance the survivability of the 
warfighter.

                       AIRCRAFT PROCUREMENT, ARMY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Aircraft Procurement, Army:


                             CH-47 BLOCK II

    The Committee continues to support the CH-47 Block II 
aircraft program and remains concerned by the Army's continued 
lack of support for the program. While the Committee recognizes 
that the Army is investing in its modernization priorities, 
without a clear path to a new heavy lift platform, the F Block 
II program should be considered a priority.

                       MISSILE PROCUREMENT, ARMY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Missile Procurement, Army:


        PROCUREMENT OF WEAPONS AND TRACKED COMBAT VEHICLES, ARMY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army:


                    PROCUREMENT OF AMMUNITION, ARMY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Procurement of Ammunition, Army:


                        OTHER PROCUREMENT, ARMY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Other Procurement, Army:


                         INFANTRY SQUAD VEHICLE

    The Committee commends the Army for successful production 
and steady fielding of the Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV). The 
nine-passenger Ground Mobility Vehicle program of record 
achieved full-rate production in March 2023 and provides 90 
percent commercial-off-the-shelf components. The Committee 
encourages the Secretary of the Army to explore options for 
increased monthly production of the ISV to allow the Army to 
maximize efficiencies and more rapidly field this tactical 
mobility capability to the warfighter.

                      FAMILY OF ALL TERRAIN CRANES

    The Army's Family of All Terrain Cranes (FOATC) supports 
the National Defense Strategy by enabling Army soldiers 
specializing in engineering, construction, and clearance to 
offload critical supplies such as weapons, ammunition, 
artillery pieces, fuel, and water to the battlefield. The 
Committee strongly encourages the Secretary of the Army to 
adequately fund the continued advancement of the FOATC Type I 
crane production to ensure that the Army is moving toward 
meeting its acquisition objective in sufficient quantities to 
maintain a reliable production capability and capacity.

   HIGH MOBILITY MULTIPURPOSE WHEELED VEHICLES ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM/
                      ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

    Since 2018, all new High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled 
Vehicles (HMMWV) have come equipped with Antilock Brake System/
Electronic Stability Control (ABS/ESC) to prevent rollovers. 
However, legacy HMMWV require an ABS/ESC retrofit kit to 
provide enhanced rollover protection. The Committee views 
soldier safety as a top priority and is concerned with the pace 
at which the Army is producing and installing ABS/ESC kits onto 
legacy HMMWV. At the current pace, it will take over 50 years 
to provide the entire HMMWV fleet with this lifesaving 
protection. This is unacceptable. The Committee expects the 
Secretary of the Army to place a higher priority on resourcing 
this critical capability that is proven to reduce rollover 
incidents that result in fatalities and serious injuries. In 
addition, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Army to 
provide quarterly updates to the House and Senate 
Appropriations Committees on the execution of ABS/ESC funding 
including contract execution status, production rates, and 
installation schedules.

    JOINT LIGHT TACTICAL VEHICLE EXPLOSIVELY FORMED PENETRATOR KITS

    The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) Explosively Formed 
Penetrator (EFP) kit protects soldiers from shaped charges 
designed to breach various types of armor on tactical and 
combat vehicles. The Committee encourages the Secretary of the 
Army to appropriately resource JLTV EFP kits to ensure that 
JLTVs fielded in theater have the highest level of protection.

                       AIRCRAFT PROCUREMENT, NAVY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Aircraft Procurement, Navy:


                      F/A-18 SUPER HORNET AIRCRAFT

    The Committee remains deeply concerned by the Navy's 
continued strike fighter aircraft shortfall, which contravenes 
the legislative requirement of ten carrier air wings by 2025. 
The Navy projects it will not resolve this gap until 2031. To 
mitigate the impacts of the shortfall, the Department of 
Defense Appropriations Acts for 2022 and 2023 included a total 
of 20 additional F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft. The Committee is 
frustrated that the Navy has yet to put any of the aircraft on 
contract and is extremely troubled by the Navy's failure to 
comply with congressional intent. The Committee expects the 
Secretary of the Navy to award these aircraft, as required by 
law, with appropriate expediency.

             NAVY ADVERSARY AIRCRAFT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES

    The Committee notes the growing requirement for near-peer 
representative air-to-air training using aggressor aircraft 
with capabilities similar to that of advanced adversaries. The 
Committee remains supportive of ongoing efforts to increase 
capabilities of aircraft assigned to aggressor squadrons; 
however, the Committee remains concerned about the overuse of 
some legacy aircraft to carry out this mission in the long-
term. To maintain strategic Navy Reserve air strike fighter and 
air aggressor capability, the Committee encourages the 
Secretary of the Navy to transition deployable F/A-18E/F 
aircraft considered for divestment, as available, from the 
Active Component to Navy Reserve aviation squadrons.

                       WEAPONS PROCUREMENT, NAVY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Weapons Procurement, Navy:


            PROCUREMENT OF AMMUNITION, NAVY AND MARINE CORPS

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps:


                   SHIPBUILDING AND CONVERSION, NAVY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy:


                       EXPEDITIONARY MEDICAL SHIP

    The Committee remains supportive of the Expeditionary 
Medical Ship (EMS) class and recognizes the operational utility 
of these ships, especially in the Indo-Pacific Command area of 
operations. The Committee notes the Navy awarded contracts for 
the three ships funded in fiscal years 2022 and 2023, with an 
option to add EMS 4 to the contract. Therefore, the Committee 
supports the expeditionary capabilities of the EMS ship class 
and recognizes the need for additional ships to be funded in 
future fiscal years.

                        OTHER PROCUREMENT, NAVY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Other Procurement, Navy:


                       PROCUREMENT, MARINE CORPS

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Procurement, Marine Corps:


                    AIRCRAFT PROCUREMENT, AIR FORCE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Aircraft Procurement, Air Force:


                        F-22 SENSOR ENHANCEMENTS

    The Committee strongly supports the increased investment in 
modernizing the F-22A, which is critical to executing the 
National Defense Strategy. In particular, the Committee finds 
that the Sensor Enhancement program is aligned with several key 
Operational Imperatives and is also fundamental to future air 
superiority. However, the Committee is deeply concerned by the 
program's developmental delays and the lack of corresponding 
adjustments in the fiscal year 2024 President's budget request, 
despite significant reprogramming actions in fiscal year 2023. 
Due to the pending Manufacturing Readiness Review and flight 
test demonstration, the Committee recommends a reduction of 
$434,997,000 to Sensor Enhancements Group B. The Committee 
urges the Secretary of the Air Force to keep the congressional 
defense committees informed on the outcomes of these tests and 
other developments so it can make informed future decisions.

                             C-40 AIRCRAFT

    While the Committee supports recent funding to upgrade 
certain aspects of the C-40, it is concerned about the aging 
fleet given the operational demands placed on the aircraft. The 
Committee also understands that there may be affordable 
inventory on the commercial airline market that could be 
converted at low cost to ensure aircraft availability for 
government senior leaders, including combatant commanders. 
Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force 
to submit a report to the congressional defense committees, not 
later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act, that 
includes a market survey of available aircraft that could be 
modified for executive airlift, the total cost impact of such 
an action, and a recommendation on the future fleet size for 
the C-40 aircraft.

              REPAIRED AND REFURBISHED AEROSPACE BEARINGS

    The Committee recognizes that the repair and refurbishment 
of aerospace bearings, which can generate cost savings for both 
fixed and rotary wing platforms, may produce similar service 
life and reliability when compared to new bearings. However, 
the Committee is concerned that the Department of Defense's 
acquisition practices prevent domestic independent bearing 
repair service providers from openly participating in 
solicitations involving Original Equipment Manufacturers, which 
may have an adverse impact on the defense industrial base. 
Therefore, the Committee urges the Secretary of Defense to 
consider ways to improve participation by domestic bearing 
repair service providers. The Committee directs the Secretary 
of the Air Force to submit a report to the congressional 
defense committees, not later than 180 days after the enactment 
of this Act, detailing the actions taken to support these 
domestic independent bearing repair service providers.

                         C-130H ENGINE UPGRADES

    The Committee remains concerned that aircraft at multiple 
C-130H units are operating without Series 3.5 engine upgrades. 
The Committee is aware the Air National Guard conducted 
analysis prior to the fiscal year 2024 budget submission and 
found the Air Force's plan to upgrade remaining C-130H aircraft 
using refurbished engines to be non-viable. Despite this 
analysis, the Air Force's fiscal year 2024 budget request did 
not fund C-130H engine upgrade acquisition. Therefore, the 
Committee directs the Commander of Air Force Materiel Command 
to brief the congressional defense committees not later than 90 
days after the enactment of this Act on the Air Force's plans 
to ensure the C-130H aircraft without Series 3.5 engine 
upgrades are appropriately upgraded to meet operational 
requirements. The brief shall detail the Department's plan to 
obligate and expend funding provided in prior fiscal years for 
the program, along with any plan to obligate National Guard and 
Reserve Equipment Account resources or reprogrammed funding 
from the operations and maintenance accounts originally 
designated to execute engine refurbishment activities. The 
briefing shall also identify remaining budget requirements in 
fiscal year 2025.

                     MISSILE PROCUREMENT, AIR FORCE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Missile Procurement, Air Force:


                  PROCUREMENT OF AMMUNITION, AIR FORCE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Procurement of Ammunition, Air Force:


                      OTHER PROCUREMENT, AIR FORCE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Other Procurement, Air Force:


                        PROCUREMENT, SPACE FORCE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Procurement, Space Force:


                     NATIONAL SECURITY SPACE LAUNCH

    The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense and the 
Director of National Intelligence to utilize the Space Force 
launch enterprise phase 2 contract, until such time as a 
successor contract is in place, for National Security Space 
Launch class missions, unless they certify to the congressional 
defense and intelligence committees that commercial launch or 
delivery-on-orbit procurement for a designated mission is in 
the national security interest of the government and outline 
the rationale for such a determination.

                       PROCUREMENT, DEFENSE-WIDE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Procurement, Defense-Wide:


  ACCELERATING THE PROCUREMENT AND FIELDING OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

    The joint explanatory statement accompanying the Department 
of Defense Appropriations Act, 2022, included $100,000,000 for 
the Agile Procurement Transition Pilot. The purpose of these 
funds is to transition technologies from pilot programs, 
prototype projects, and research projects to scale to 
capability, software, or service acquisitions. These funds are 
also to be used for the rapid procurement of commercially 
available technologies that can directly aid the warfighter. In 
its first year, the program funded ten different emerging 
technology companies to move from prototype to fielding, 
accelerating fielding by at least 12 months and in some cases 
as much as 48 months. In the second year, the program increased 
total funding by $50,000,000, with contract sizes doubling for 
many of the companies in the program to quickly scale 
capabilities for the warfighter.
    The Committee supports continued investment in this fund 
and notes that the fiscal year 2024 President's budget request 
included $100,000,000 for this effort. Therefore, the Committee 
recommends a total of $300,000,000, an increase of $200,000,000 
above the President's budget request. Additionally, the 
Committee directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Research 
and Engineering to brief the congressional defense committees, 
not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, on the 
capabilities being tested and the proposed path to scale 
innovative technologies, including successes and failures to 
date, as well as the use of all prior year funds.

         MUNITIONS STOCK DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF TITANIUM SPONGE

    The Committee remains concerned about the domestic 
industrial base reliance on foreign suppliers for critical 
defense materials, including titanium sponge. The Committee 
encourages the Secretary of Defense to enhance cooperative 
efforts with the United States titanium industry to explore 
opportunities for domestic sponge manufacturing through the 
Defense Production Act, and to identify resources necessary for 
the upgrade and modernization of idled United States sponge 
facilities to become commercially viable.

                            CHINESE PLASTIC

    The People's Republic of China (PRC) is one of the largest 
global suppliers of plastics, which are essential to critical 
components for national security and defense. The Committee 
encourages the Secretary of Defense to take meaningful efforts 
to reduce dependency on plastics from the PRC. It is important 
to consider a multitude of alternative materials that could be 
produced and certified domestically. The Committee encourages 
the Department of Defense to lessen its dependency on China and 
when applicable, transition quality production materials to 
U.S. grown hemp, a more cost-effective, bio-based alternative 
to plastic. Therefore, the Committee directs the Secretary of 
Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense 
committees not later than 180 days after the enactment of this 
Act. The report shall identify the progress the Department has 
made in utilizing alternatives to Chinese plastics and provide 
a quantitative and qualitative characterization of domestic 
national defense dependency on Chinese plastics.

                DEFENSE SUPPLY CHAIN PACKAGING MATERIAL

    The Committee recognizes the importance of protective 
packaging to ensure the safe transport and storage of military 
equipment. Packaging materials and solutions are specifically 
tailored based on detailed calculations for each requirement 
across the logistics and supply chain. The Committee urges the 
Secretary of Defense, prior to proposing any limitation or 
prohibition on packaging materials, to evaluate and confirm no 
adverse financial, performance, or public safety impact or 
unintended consequence from any proposed alternative or 
substitute packaging materials.

                    CRYSTALS FOR OPTICAL COMPONENTS

    The Committee recognizes the importance of silicon and 
germanium crystals for use in electro-optical and infrared 
devices. The Committee also understands there are supply chain 
and intellectual property risks based on reliance on China for 
these materials and components. Therefore, the Committee 
directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a review of the 
amount of silicon and germanium optical components in U.S. 
defense systems that are being sourced from China and submit a 
report to the congressional defense committees not later than 
180 days after the enactment of this Act. The Committee also 
encourages the Secretary of Defense to phase out the 
procurement of Chinese silicon and germanium optical components 
and support domestic growth and component manufacturing 
requirements.

                    DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT PURCHASES

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
the Defense Production Act Purchases:

                                    EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS
                                            [In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        Budget       Committee      Change from
                                                                       Request      Recommended       Request
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT PURCHASES                                         968,605         978,605        -350,000
    Execution risk.................................................                     -350,000
                                                                    --------------------------------------------
        TOTAL, DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT PURCHASES....................      968,605         618,605        -350,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE EQUIPMENT ACCOUNT


 
 
 
Fiscal year 2024 budget request.......................             - - -
Committee recommendation..............................    $1,000,000,000
Change from budget request............................    +1,000,000,000
 

    The Committee recommends $1,000,000,000 for the National 
Guard and Reserve Equipment Account. Of that amount, 
$312,000,000 is for the Army National Guard; $305,000,000 is 
for the Air National Guard; $155,000,000 is for the Army 
Reserve; $55,000,000 is for the Navy Reserve; $18,000,000 is 
for the Marine Corps Reserve; and $155,000,000 is for the Air 
Force Reserve to meet urgent equipment needs in the coming 
fiscal year. This funding will allow the National Guard and 
reserve components to procure high priority equipment used by 
these components for both their military missions and missions 
in support of State governors. The funding within this account 
is not to be used to procure equipment designated as high-
density critical equipment, major weapon systems, aircraft, and 
other equipment central to a unit's ability to perform its 
doctrinal mission. The funding within this account is not to be 
used to procure equipment purchased by the senior Service, to 
expand or accelerate current Service procurement plans, to 
purchase expendable items, or to purchase facilities or 
equipment for any requirement able to be satisfied elsewhere.
    The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to ensure 
that the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account is 
executed by the Chiefs of the National Guard and reserve 
components with priority consideration given to the following 
items: acoustic hailing devices; crash-worthy, ballistically 
tolerant auxiliary fuel systems for UH-60 helicopters; degraded 
visual environment systems; improved thermal acoustic blanket; 
KC-135 aircraft emergency response refuel equipment kits; KC-
135 aircrew ground cooling units; land surveying systems; 
lightweight, rapidly deployable, computer-based artillery call 
for fire training and simulation; litter stabilization systems; 
modular small arms ranges and small arms training simulators 
and tools; secure enterprise, emergency, and social 
communication; software defined radios; UH-72A/B mission 
equipment modernization; and upgraded commercial-off-the-shelf 
ground mapping for C-130 aircraft.

                                TITLE IV

               RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION

    The fiscal year 2024 Department of Defense research, 
development, test and evaluation budget request and the 
Committee recommendation are summarized in the table below:


            REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE FOR ACQUISITION ACCOUNTS

    The Secretary of Defense is directed to continue to follow 
the reprogramming guidance as specified in the report 
accompanying the House version of the Department of Defense 
Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2008 (House Report 110-
279). Specifically, the dollar threshold for reprogramming 
funds shall be $10,000,000 for procurement and research, 
development, test and evaluation.
    Also, the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) is 
directed to continue to provide the congressional defense 
committees quarterly, spreadsheet-based DD Form 1416 reports 
for Service and defense-wide accounts in titles III and IV of 
this Act. Reports for titles III and IV shall comply with the 
guidance specified in the explanatory statement accompanying 
the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2006. The 
Department shall continue to follow the limitation that prior 
approval reprogramming actions are set at either the specified 
dollar threshold or 20 percent of the procurement or research, 
development, test and evaluation line, whichever is less. These 
thresholds are cumulative from the base for reprogramming value 
as modified by any adjustments. Therefore, if the combined 
value of transfers into or out of a procurement (P-1) or 
research, development, test and evaluation (R-1) line exceeds 
the identified threshold, the Secretary of Defense must submit 
a prior approval reprogramming to the congressional defense 
committees. In addition, guidelines on the application of prior 
approval reprogramming procedures for congressional special 
interest items are established elsewhere in this report.

                           FUNDING INCREASES

    The funding increases outlined in these tables shall be 
provided only for the specific purposes indicated in the 
tables.

   RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION SPECIAL INTEREST ITEMS

    Items for which additional funds have been recommended or 
items for which funding is specifically reduced as shown in the 
project level tables detailing recommended adjustments or in 
paragraphs using the phrase ``only for'' or ``only to'' in this 
report are congressional special interest items for the purpose 
of the Base for Reprogramming (DD Form 1414). Each of these 
items must be carried on the DD Form 1414 at the stated amount, 
as specifically addressed elsewhere in this report.

                    COMMERCIAL CONTRACTING SOFTWARE

    The Department of Defense procurement systems, including 
contract writing systems, are overly complicated, difficult to 
use, and do not leverage modern software found in the 
commercial marketplace which contributes to their 
inefficiencies. The Services continue to experience cost 
overruns and schedule delays as they attempt to update their 
systems. The Committee encourages the Service Secretaries to 
explore commercial solutions in order to identify efficiencies, 
improve quality, accelerate delivery times, and lower costs.

                   AUTONOMOUS MODELING AND SIMULATION

    The Committee is keenly aware of the transformative 
potential of autonomous capabilities across the spectrum of 
warfare. However, the Committee assesses that the Department of 
Defense does not clearly characterize the full cost and utility 
of these systems. The Committee recommendation includes 
additional funding for the Chief Data and Artificial 
Intelligence Office to expand its capacity for virtual testing, 
evaluation, and simulation of autonomous platforms to ensure 
the development of a joint concept of operations.

   SPACE-BASED SURVEILLANCE FOR NORTHERN COMMAND AND SOUTHERN COMMAND

    The Committee recognizes the immense value that persistent 
and unmanned systems can provide to United States Northern 
Command (NORTHCOM) and United States Southern Command 
(SOUTHCOM) in support of operations across their areas of 
responsibility. The Committee is encouraged by the development 
and fielding of space-based capabilities, including 
commercially provided capabilities, that can meet critical 
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) 
requirements for both combatant commands. Therefore, the 
Committee encourages the Secretary of Defense to provide 
increased support for space-based ISR to NORTHCOM and SOUTHCOM.

            RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION, ARMY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army:


                 CYBERSPACE ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ACTIVITIES

    Cyberspace Electro-Magnetic Activities (CEMA) exploit 
electronic warfare, cyber, and security capabilities to deliver 
information advantages in multi-domain operations. CEMA 
superiority will be critical in the next significant modern 
conflict. The Army appropriately invests in specialized CEMA 
research through several independent, program-associated lines 
of effort. However, the Army lacks a robust, centralized 
research line for advanced deep CEMA research for application 
broadly across Army platforms. As the Army pursues high 
priority modernization programs for integration through the 
Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System and 
Joint All-Domain Command and Control, dedicated CEMA research 
and development is critical. The Committee directs the 
Secretary of the Army to establish an additional research and 
development program element line in the fiscal year 2025 
President's budget request focused on broadly applicable 
advanced CEMA research. This line is not intended to 
consolidate or eliminate existing CEMA research, but rather to 
be additive and integrative in nature, unless the Secretary 
believes such consolidation becomes constructive. The Committee 
also directs the Secretary of the Army to brief the House and 
Senate Appropriations Committees on the Army's plans and 
progress not later than 90 days after the enactment of this 
Act.

                               CROWS-AHD

    The Committee commends the Army for the successful 
implementation of the Acoustic Hailing Device (AHD) program 
which has provided military police and transportation security 
units with the ability to de-escalate dangerous situations, 
reduce both combatant and non-combatant casualties, and improve 
overall combat effectiveness across the full spectrum of 
conflict. Incorporating AHDs into existing Common Remotely 
Operated Weapon Stations (CROWS) is a logical extension of the 
current program and the Committee is encouraged by the progress 
that the Army has made in this effort. The Committee directs 
the Secretary of the Army to provide a briefing to the House 
and Senate Appropriations Committees, not later than 90 days 
after the enactment of this Act, on the CROWS-AHD program with 
a focus on the acceleration of prototyping, testing, and 
fielding of this capability.

                ENGINEERED REPAIR MATERIALS FOR ROADWAYS

    Military infrastructure requires rapidly deployable 
solutions to enable effective maneuver of assets from military 
bases to theaters of operation. New infrastructure technologies 
are required to support the military's repair requirements of 
paved and unpaved roadways to support military missions. The 
Committee encourages the Secretary of the Army to develop 
engineered road repair materials that leverage the use of local 
materials, thus allowing for less logistical import of 
materials and more rapid construction.

                    WIRE ARC ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

    The Committee supports the development of wire arc additive 
manufacturing technology (WAAM) of optimized multi-metal 
components for the future of U.S. combat systems. This research 
is key to maintaining a strong lead in the race for innovation 
against near-peer competitors, as well as securing the future 
of the defense supply chain.

            RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION, NAVY

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy:


                       AUTOMATED TEST AND RE-TEST

    The Committee remains supportive of the Navy's use of 
Automated Test and Re-test (ATRT) technologies in support of 
several individual programs to improve the efficiency and 
quality of testing, analysis, and certification. ATRT is a 
critical, validated, and cost-effective technology that enables 
rapid insertion of capabilities to address emerging threats. 
However, the Committee is concerned that the Navy is not 
rapidly evaluating current and future acquisition programs for 
ATRT applicability. Therefore, the Committee recommendation 
includes a total of $120,000,000 to expand the use of ATRT 
technologies throughout the Navy enterprise. Further, the 
Committee again urges the Secretary of the Navy to budget for 
ATRT in future budget requests.

               LARGE DIAMETER UNMANNED UNDERSEA VEHICLES

    The Committee recommendation includes $35,000,000 for the 
Navy to acquire commercially available large diameter unmanned 
undersea vehicle (LDUUV) test platforms, ancillary equipment, 
and support services that can rapidly integrate a broad range 
of payloads and sensors to serve as test beds for organizations 
and expedite the delivery of these capabilities to the fleet. 
The Secretary of the Navy should focus experimentation efforts 
on platforms that are commercially available, at a high 
technology readiness level, do not require submarines as host 
platforms to conduct operations, and possess mission-relevant 
range and endurance characteristics for the United States Indo-
Pacific Command area of operations. Further, the platforms 
should be capable of operating at full ocean depth and be 
rapidly reconfigurable to enable a broad range of payload 
integration and fleet experimentation activities.

        AUTONOMOUS SURFACE AND UNDERWATER DUAL-MODALITY VEHICLES

    The Committee is aware of dual-modality autonomous surface 
and undersea vehicle technology that exists to address multiple 
warfighting requirements. The Committee encourages the 
Secretary of the Navy to explore dual-modality capabilities and 
determine whether the technology can satisfy near-term 
intelligence and oceanographic requirements. The Committee also 
encourages the Secretary of the Navy to prioritize this effort 
in future fiscal years.

                     COASTAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH

    The Committee understands the importance of the littoral 
region to Navy operations worldwide and believes that testing 
and training must replicate the operational and threat 
environments that submarines and unmanned systems are likely to 
encounter in these areas. The Committee believes that 
additional research of the magnetic, electric, and acoustic 
ambient fields in the littoral regions and the development of 
predictive techniques to distinguish ships and submarines from 
naturally occurring background features would be beneficial for 
littoral operations. The Committee encourages the Secretary of 
the Navy to conduct additional research in this area.

         RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION, AIR FORCE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force:


                               VANGUARDS

    The Committee recognizes the valuable contributions made by 
the Department of the Air Force's Science and Technology (S&T) 
community, in particular the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL). The 
Committee finds the Air Force has improved in its efforts to 
align fundamental research with urgent operational needs. The 
Air Force's Vanguard programs, which share the Committee's 
goals of rapid experimentation, problem identification, and 
fielding, have led to several programs of record that enable 
warfighting capabilities. However, the Committee has concerns 
with the current and future scope of the Vanguard programs.
    First, the time from operational need identification to 
fielding remains far too long given the modest advances in 
capability. Second, the Committee believes that the Air Force 
should focus its fiscal year 2024 efforts on the existing 
Vanguards and Vanguard Prospects. Due to the increase in the 
budget request for the Vanguards over the future years defense 
program, the Committee urges the Air Force to demonstrate how 
it can more rapidly transition current Vanguard Prospects to 
programs of record before it invests in the Pathfinders. 
Additionally, it is not clear that the Vanguards are 
sufficiently leveraging emerging technologies in the commercial 
sector. Lastly, the Committee is concerned that standard 
business operations in AFRL perpetuate the gap between the 
operators, acquirers, and the S&T workforce, limiting the 
military utility and speed of fielding. Understanding how AFRL 
is closing this gap is of key interest to the Committee.
    Therefore, the Committee recommends a reduction of 
$86,552,000 to the Vanguards and provides no funding for the 
Pathfinders. The Committee looks forward to continued updates 
on the fielding of the funded Vanguards and ways the Air Force 
is addressing the previously mentioned concerns.

                  FIGHTER AIRCRAFT ENGINE DEVELOPMENT

    In the fiscal year 2024 President's budget request, the Air 
Force requested $254,685,000 for the F135 Engine Core Upgrade 
(ECU), $595,352,000 for the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion 
(NGAP) program, and no additional funding for the Adaptive 
Engine Transition Program (AETP). The Committee recognizes that 
the independent cost assessment completed by the Director of 
Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation found that fielding 
adaptive cycle engine technology on only the F-35A would drive 
unsustainable costs in future years for the Air Force. The 
Committee concurs with this finding and understands the Air 
Force has fully budgeted for ECU activities in fiscal year 2024 
and the future years defense program. The Committee fully funds 
the request for F135 ECU to improve the F-35 engine program.
    Further, the Committee finds the business case analysis 
completed by the Joint Program Office and other analyses 
provided to the Committee to be incomplete in assessing whether 
the F135 engine will meet the expected thrust and thermal 
management capacity requirements. While the Committee assesses 
that the F135 engine may meet future needs with the planned 
upgrades, it also finds that continued investment in engine 
testing for fighter aircraft is justified. NGAP, F135 ECU, and 
other programs that direct research to improve engine 
capabilities are required to ensure a robust industrial base 
and enable the Air Force's fighter aircraft inventory during 
future conflict. The Committee supports increased funding for 
these programs in fiscal year 2024 but also believes that 
continuing the AETP program will mitigate risk for both 
adaptive cycle and future engine development programs.
    Therefore, the Committee recommendation provides 
$150,000,000 to continue AETP in the Advanced Engine 
Development budget line to ensure coordinated design efforts 
with NGAP. The testing objectives for AETP shall align with 
funding provided in prior fiscal years and shall dually inform 
the enabling design for Next Generation Air Dominance 
capabilities. The Committee emphasizes that this increase is 
not intended to incentivize the Air Force, or any other 
Service, to create an alternative engine program for the F-35. 
Therefore, the Act includes a general provision that prohibits 
the use of funds to integrate an alternative engine on any F-35 
aircraft.

                     COLLABORATIVE COMBAT AIRCRAFT

    The fiscal year 2024 President's budget request includes 
$392,210,000 for Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). The 
Committee notes the significant growth projected for the 
program over the future years defense program. The Committee 
understands the proposed operational concepts of CCA and is 
encouraged by its co-development with the Next Generation Air 
Dominance program. The Committee notes with support the co-
development efforts with allies and partners and believes these 
efforts should be continued and expanded where possible. While 
the Committee recommendation supports the funding request for 
fiscal year 2024, the Committee is concerned that CCA requires 
such a degree of concept refinement that it will unnecessarily 
delay the fielding of available technologies. The Committee 
looks forward to regular updates on CCA refinement and 
fielding, recognizing that the funds provided in fiscal year 
2024 will, in part, be used for these purposes.
    The Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to 
submit to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, in 
coordination with the submission of the fiscal year 2025 
President's budget request, a detailed plan of how the Air 
Force intends to transition CCA concepts into an operational 
program of record, how it intends to mitigate developmental 
risk through the rapid fielding of existing technologies, what 
unit cost variances exist for attritable and expendable 
aircraft, ways to enhance co-development with allies and 
partners, how it is aligning autonomy or mitigating the lack 
thereof with its concept of operations, and a proposal for an 
acquisition strategy over the future years defense program.

                        TANKER RECAPITALIZATION

    The Air Force has revised its previous tanker 
recapitalization approach in favor of a reduced number of 
bridge aircraft and a more rapid transition to the Next 
Generation Air-Refueling System (NGAS). The Committee further 
notes that the fiscal year 2024 President's budget request for 
NGAS will fund an Analysis of Alternatives, the refinement of 
future requirements, and a development schedule. The Committee 
is concerned by the potential risk to tanker availability 
during the recapitalization, due to the aging nature of legacy 
aircraft in the fleet and the uncertain delivery date of NGAS, 
and the Committee reemphasizes its support of competition 
throughout all phases of tanker recapitalization. Therefore, 
the Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit 
a report to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, in 
coordination with the fiscal year 2025 President's budget 
request, that includes a detailed 10-year schedule for the 
recapitalization of the tanker fleet, planned tanker aircraft 
divestitures over that same period, and a risk assessment of a 
reduced bridge tanker procurement prior to the delivery of 
NGAS.

        RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION, SPACE FORCE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Space Force:


                        SPACE FORCE ACQUISITION

    The fiscal year 2024 President's budget request for the 
Space Force is $30,197,634,000, an increase of $3,907,806,000 
or 15 percent over last year's enacted level, continuing a 
trend of double-digit growth over the past several years. The 
request also adds a total of $16,080,860,000 through fiscal 
year 2027 compared to last year's projection over the same 
period.
    However, despite these significant increases, the budget 
request continues to include serious shortfalls and 
disconnects. The Space Force does not fully fund several core 
programs in the five-year budget projection, including the Next 
Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared ground program known as 
FORGE, the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability site 1, and 
Global Positioning System (GPS) User Equipment Increment 2. 
None of these programs are new, and all are core capabilities 
the Space Force says it must have. As such, the Committee 
expects that these programs, and any others in a similar 
situation, will be fully funded in the future years defense 
program submitted with the fiscal year 2025 budget request. 
Moreover, the Space Force should not count on continued double-
digit topline budget increases to address future funding 
shortfalls or reduce acquisition risk.
    In addition, the Committee remains very concerned about 
programs the Space Force has reported as its poorest performing 
acquisition programs, including the GPS Next Generation 
Operational Control Segment (OCX). According to the Government 
Accountability Office, the total cost for OCX has grown from 
$4,005,000,000 to $6,939,000,000, which is 73 percent growth 
over the original estimate. Further, OCX is nearly seven years 
late and not yet delivered. This is unacceptable and demands 
senior leader attention to ensure the program has the 
appropriate resources to complete OCX development and deliver 
the capability as soon as possible. The Committee remains 
concerned by other poor performing programs including Space 
Command and Control, Family of Advanced Beyond-line-of-site 
Terminals, Military GPS User Equipment Increment 1, and 
Enterprise Ground Services.
    The Committee supports efforts by Space Force acquisition 
leaders to improve management rigor and accountability for 
delivering programs on schedule and within budget, and to pay 
particular attention to corrective actions on poorly performing 
programs. The Committee expects more frequent and timely 
updates on troubled programs and directs the Assistant 
Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and 
Integration to provide the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees a detailed programmatic update at the beginning of 
each quarter of the fiscal year on the status of corrective 
actions for each of its poorest performing programs.

              NUCLEAR COMMAND, CONTROL, AND COMMUNICATIONS

    The Space Force fiscal year 2024 President's budget request 
proposes to cancel the third geosynchronous spacecraft (GEO-3) 
in the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) 
program. The Next Generation OPIR program is a critical 
component of the Strategic Missile Warning and Nuclear Command, 
Control, and Communications (NC3) enterprise. The Committee is 
troubled by the lack of analysis to support the proposal to 
cancel the GEO-3 spacecraft, especially given its importance to 
the NC3 mission. The Committee understands the Space Force is 
pivoting to more resilient, proliferated space architectures, 
and strongly supports those initiatives. Yet the Department of 
Defense has not addressed how these new architectures will meet 
the NC3 mission needs, and if not, how the NC3 mission needs 
will be met after the Next Generation OPIR program.
    Therefore, the Committee directs the Commander, United 
States Strategic Command, as the lead for the NC3 Enterprise 
Center, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for 
Acquisition and Sustainment, as the NC3 capability portfolio 
manager, and the Chief of Space Operations to submit a report 
to the congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days 
after the enactment of this Act, with an analysis and 
assessment of the impacts to the NC3 mission of eliminating the 
GEO-3 spacecraft. The report shall also address the feasibility 
of modifying or tailoring the NC3 community's requirements and 
certification processes for future space systems that meets the 
needs and intent of the NC3 mission while taking into 
consideration the proliferation of spacecraft and diversity of 
orbits proposed in the Space Force's plans. The Committee 
directs that the Space Force may not obligate more than 90 
percent of the fiscal year 2024 funds appropriated for the 
Resilient Missile Warning-Missile Tracking Medium-Earth Orbit 
program (PE 1206447SF) until the report is delivered to the 
congressional defense committees.
    Further, the Committee directs the Secretary of the Air 
Force to continue to provide quarterly briefings on the status 
of its missile warning-related programs including both the Next 
Generation OPIR program and the Resilient Missile Warning-
Missile Tracking program as an integrated set of programs.

                  COMMERCIAL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

    The Committee notes the burgeoning commercial sector that 
is building out large constellations of highly capable 
commercial satellite communications systems in a range of 
orbits, from low-earth orbit to medium-earth orbit and 
geostationary orbit. The Committee encourages the Space Force 
to leverage these commercial space networks to build a 
resilient, low-latency, high-capacity network for future 
military communications, and to seek out opportunities to 
incorporate near-term commercial demonstrations of capabilities 
with potential to meet national security needs.

        RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION, DEFENSE-WIDE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide:


       PEOPLE: THE NON-TRADITIONAL INNOVATION FIELDING ENTERPRISE

    The Committee commends the Secretary of Defense on the 
announcement of a new Director of the Defense Innovation Unit 
(DIU) and elevation of the role reporting directly to the 
Secretary. Given mounting global security risks, the Department 
must do more to mobilize a broader industrial base. This DIU 
transition provides a timely milestone to deliberately create a 
hedge portfolio to these risks and focus and enable 
organizations capable of executing that hedge strategy. This 
portfolio is a hedge against growing and innate tactical and 
logistical risks to current weapon systems, as well as a hedge 
against industrial base risk, given lack of capacity and 
diversity. The development of non-traditional sources and non-
traditional solutions are essential to this hedge, and it will 
require intentionally taking calculated risks to incentivize 
positive deliberate accelerated change. If properly executed, 
this hedge has the potential to reduce the taxpayer's burden by 
leveraging private capital, expand America's economic advantage 
by accelerating emerging technology, and broaden the pool of 
talent supporting national defense.
    Therefore, the Committee directs the Service Secretaries to 
provide a brief to the congressional defense committees, not 
later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act, identifying 
one Service-level Non-traditional Innovation Fielding 
Enterprise (NIFE) lead, per Service, with proven competence in 
partnering with non-traditional industry and investors, and 
provide a plan that ensures the Service NIFE has proper 
leadership, multi-disciplinary and high performing staff, 
funding, authorities, reporting, and consolidated structures to 
avoid dilution of effort and confusion among stakeholders. 
Further, the Committee directs the DIU Director to submit a 
report to the congressional defense committees not later than 
90 days after the enactment of this Act. The report shall 
detail the organize, train, and equip support for DIU, to 
include staffing, hiring speed, physical and digital 
infrastructure, functional support, authorities, security, 
budgeting processes, and any other information deemed relevant. 
Further, the Committee directs the DIU Director to submit a 
report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 
120 days after the enactment of this Act, providing similar 
details on the support for each Service NIFE.

               PORTFOLIO: DEFINING AND RESOURCING A HEDGE

    The Committee recommendation includes $1,033,064,000, 
approximately one tenth of one percent of the fiscal year 2024 
President's budget request, to begin deliberately fielding a 
hedge portfolio within one to three years. This hedge portfolio 
of many smart, affordable, modular, and sustainable systems 
could include, but is not limited to, low-cost, light-logistics 
multi-domain drones, satellites, and munitions; agile 
communications, compute, and sensor nodes; and artificial 
intelligence agents and users. It could create asymmetric 
advantage to support combatant command operational challenges 
like contested logistics, electronic warfare, resilient 
communications, Joint All-Domain Command and Control, and 
weapon and platform capacity. The Committee directs execution 
of these funds by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), supported 
by Service Non-traditional Innovation Fielding Enterprises 
(NIFEs), and in cooperation with the Joint Staff and combatant 
commands. These funds should mature fielding models like Task 
Force 59 and propagate acquisition models like AFWERX Prime to 
the joint community, accelerating military relevant 
technologies with external capital and talent by using the 
Department's unique ability to reduce technical, regulatory, 
and financial risks in emerging technology sectors. 
Collaboration might be facilitated through an advisory board 
composed of those organizations as well as the Chief Digital 
and Artificial Intelligence Officer and the Director of the 
Office of Strategic Capital. Participation by Service 
laboratories and program executive offices is encouraged, and 
those organizations could compete for funding through the 
Service NIFE. Service funding execution targets should align to 
overall Service budget percentages, and projects should be 
focused on novel concepts of employment in support of the Joint 
Warfighting Concept.
    Further, the Committee directs the DIU Director, in 
coordination with the Joint Staff and Service NIFEs, to submit 
a report to the congressional defense committees not later than 
90 days after the enactment of this Act. The report shall 
include an acquisition strategy and spend plan to field a hedge 
portfolio with ten candidate projects to the combatant 
commands, supported by service NIFEs. It shall also identify 
cost, schedule, performance, risk, and other potential 
authorities needed to accelerate fielding in one to three 
years.

            PROCESSES: SPEED, NEXUS, AND AGILE REQUIREMENTS

    With a focus on speed, the Non-traditional Innovation 
Fielding Enterprise (NIFE) will bring together the nexus of 
best practices identified in the last several years of defense 
innovation. These designated Nexus fielding projects will begin 
with a problem statement and will iteratively mature 
requirements while developing software and hardware for 
fielding at scale within three years using small teams of 
warfighters, acquirers, and technologists. Some of these 
projects will come from Service and Joint Staff collaboration 
to compete for funding. Additionally, the Committee recommends 
$220,000,000 for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to provide 
direct support to the combatant commands to accelerate fielding 
of capabilities from this hedge portfolio. In many instances 
early, yet operationally relevant, versions of this portfolio 
can be rapidly adopted for use by a combatant command, 
potentially by using service contracts. This approach could 
allow accelerated and agile requirements development, 
simultaneously driving concept innovation with technology 
innovation. It enables a structure for software and hardware 
acquisition refresh rates for deterrence in peacetime, but more 
importantly it builds the right team for rapid refresh rates 
that outpace the adversary in wartime. An agile approach of 
experiment, exercise, and deploy low-rate production, 
potentially as a service, allows developers refining the 
technology to work beside the operators refining the doctrine, 
organization, training, materiel, leadership, personnel, 
facilities, and policies for accelerated adoption. Finally, 
this model expedites acquisition decision cycles with earlier 
insights into cost, capability, and capacity, which is often 
difficult for emerging technologies.
    In addition to any reports required by section 8056 of this 
Act, the Committee directs the DIU Director to submit a 
quarterly report for ongoing and new projects including project 
descriptions; milestones; risks; obligations and expenditures; 
planned acquisition and transition strategy; Service, combatant 
command, and interagency involvement; program estimated annual 
and total cost; current and future cost sharing options with 
other government organizations, investors, or industry; 
opportunities for building international partner capacity; and 
intended impact to United States and adversary operations plans 
with supporting operations analysis.

               PRACTICES: FLEXIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

    The metric for success is speed to fielding affordable, 
operationally relevant capability. Increased warfighter 
flexibility and better congressional oversight are possible 
using modern business practices. Of the recommended Defense 
Innovation Unit (DIU) funding, $649,785,000 is allocated to 
budget activity eight, the Software and Digital Technology 
Pilot, detailed in this Act for agile research, development, 
test and evaluation, procurement, production, modification, and 
operation and maintenance. To minimize the reporting burden, 
optimize insights, and accelerate decisions, the Committee 
directs the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer 
(CDAO), in coordination with the DIU Director, to submit a 
report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 
60 days after the enactment of this Act, on a development, 
data, and deployment strategy of an appropriately secure web 
interface that can provide access to data described for DIU 
project reporting to the congressional defense committees. It 
will also have a modern workflow interface for rapid approval 
and archiving of decisions. Further, the effort will explore 
continuous metadata tagging for decisions and transactions to 
provide more timely and granular insights into the execution of 
budget activity eight funding to properly assess the value of 
expanding its use. The recommendation includes a program 
increase of $50,000,000 to CDAO in support of this management 
innovation pilot and other activities. The Committee directs 
the CDAO, in coordination with the DIU Director, to submit a 
report to the congressional defense committees not later than 
one year after the enactment of this Act. The report shall 
include progress on data sharing, metrics on the use of budget 
activity eight, recommendations on data interfaces, needed 
resources, and potential further use of budget activity eight.

                         DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

    The Committee applauds the Department of Defense's 
establishment of the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence 
Office (CDAO) to create the foundation for analytics, data, and 
AI-enabled capabilities to be developed and fielded at scale. 
In many instances, the Committee recommends transfers to help 
drive a more integrated development of enterprise solutions. 
The Committee looks forward to seeing broad collaboration with 
CDAO across the Department to help accelerate digital 
transformation. However, unclear roles and responsibilities are 
a potential risk to this success. Therefore, the Committee 
directs the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, 
in coordination with the Undersecretary of Defense for 
Acquisition and Sustainment, the Undersecretary of Defense for 
Research and Engineering, the Undersecretary of Defense 
(Comptroller), the Chief Information Officer, the Director of 
Operational Test and Evaluation, and the Director of the 
Defense Innovation Unit, to submit a report to the 
congressional defense committees not later than 120 days after 
the enactment of this Act. The report shall detail delineations 
and coordination to facilitate efficiency and expedited 
adoption of Joint All-Domain Command and Control, advanced 
digital business practices, due diligence for foreign influence 
among industry and academia seeking or receiving Department 
funding, metrics tracking to accelerate funding apportionment 
and distribution, analytics to support operations and 
investment decisions, and digital engineering and testing.
    Further, the Committee directs the Chief Information 
Officer to submit a report to the congressional defense 
committees, not later than 120 days after the enactment of this 
Act, detailing opportunities to streamline the Authority to 
Operate process to accelerate secure adoption of advance 
software.
    Finally, the Committee directs the Service Chiefs, in 
coordination with the Federal Aviation Administrator, to submit 
a report, not later than 120 days after the enactment of this 
Act, on a collaborative path to digital airworthiness and 
aircraft certification, as well as opportunities for resource 
sharing and reciprocity to create government efficiencies and 
accelerated safe adoption of advanced aircraft using digital 
practices.

          DIGITAL TOOLS FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT

    The Committee is grateful for the leadership provided by 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. 
The establishment of the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve 
and the Pilot Program to Accelerate the Procurement and 
Fielding of Innovative Technologies have been key drivers in 
advancing warfighting capabilities. While there have been great 
strides, opportunities remain to more effectively harness data 
and digital infrastructure to support defense science and 
technology (S&T) investment and drive rapid transition. Over 
the last several years there have been key trends that have 
broadened the number of participants in defense S&T. Commercial 
technologies with military applications have become widely 
available, and the Committee appreciates the efforts to put 
non-traditional companies on contract more rapidly.
    The result is a vast pool of technologies and technology 
providers, as well as many more warfighters directly engaged in 
technology adoption. The challenge is that in a very short 
time, the number of participants in the Department's S&T 
activities has quickly grown. It was once easily managed by a 
small number of participants in a more hierarchical structure 
with the Service labs and the Office of the Secretary of 
Defense, but it has quickly expanded to include anyone in the 
Department who wants to start an innovation project and any 
start-up with a small business contract. Unfortunately, 
adoption of digital tools to harness the energy of this broad 
pool of innovation has not kept up, undermining transition of 
the highest impact capabilities.
    Therefore, the Committee directs the Under Secretary of 
Defense for Research and Engineering, in coordination with the 
Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer and the Director 
of the Defense Innovation Unit, to submit a report to the 
congressional defense committees not later than 90 days after 
the enactment of this Act. The report shall address cost, 
schedule, performance, and risk in developing and adopting a 
digital environment across the Department, at multiple 
classification levels, to identify and categorize defense 
technologies, technologists, acquirers, users, and companies in 
a way that minimizes redundant investment and maximizes 
collaboration for accelerated fielding.

                      OFFICE OF STRATEGIC CAPITAL

    The Committee commends the Secretary of Defense on the 
announcement of the new Office of Strategic Capital. It is 
essential that the United States deliberately expand the tools 
to effectively compete in the current global technology race. 
To that end, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense, in 
coordination with the heads of other federal agencies, to 
submit a report to the congressional defense committees not 
later than 120 days after the enactment of this Act. The report 
shall address the successes since the establishment of the 
office, opportunities for additional strategic capital tools, 
and other needed resources or authorities that could drive 
greater impact.

                         ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY

    Advanced Air Mobility represents a critical sector in 
technological competition as it accelerates key capabilities in 
autonomy, advanced manufacturing, and novel propulsion. The 
Committee congratulates the Department of Defense on last 
year's notable milestones in each Service in Advanced Air 
Mobility, but there is still risk of losing a competitive 
advantage in this sector. Therefore, the Committee directs the 
Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of 
Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administrator, and the 
Service Secretaries to submit a report to the congressional 
defense committees not later than 180 days after the enactment 
of this Act. The report shall address opportunities for joint 
and interagency collaboration to bolster the Advanced Air 
Mobility industrial base and accelerate fielding to support 
warfighting needs. The report shall describe efforts to ensure 
closer interagency collaboration on airworthiness, pilot, and 
safety standards; the potential for developing modular cargo 
standards for improved logistics interoperability; and 
alterations to Department of Defense Directive 4500.56 to 
create opportunities for early fielding and broad use of these 
aircraft in the National Capitol Region for logistics 
efficiencies.

          MICROREACTORS FOR NATURAL DISASTER RESPONSE EFFORTS

    The Committee encourages the Under Secretary of Defense for 
Research and Engineering to coordinate with the Under 
Secretary, Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans of the 
Department of Homeland Security, and the Under Secretary of 
Energy for Infrastructure to develop a national strategy to 
utilize nuclear microreactors currently under development by 
the Department of Defense for natural disaster response 
efforts.

                  PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES

    The Committee recognizes that widely used Per- and 
Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) chemicals are the cause of 
significant health, environment, and safety concerns. However, 
the Committee recognizes the uses of PFAS in a range of 
materials that are components of weapons, communication, and 
aerospace systems. One such example is microelectronics, which 
currently require PFAS chemicals in the manufacturing process. 
The Committee is concerned there are no alternative sources, 
and directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the 
congressional defense committees, not later than 120 days after 
the enactment of this Act, based on its PFAS critical uses 
report, to coordinate with relevant agencies, industry, and 
academia to research alternatives to these critical PFAS uses 
and submit that report. The plan shall include a scientific 
evaluation and review of key technical standards for PFAS 
critical materials to ensure that the standards are effective, 
accurately represent the desired performance outcomes, and 
ensure that viable PFAS-free alternatives are not artificially 
excluded. The Committee also encourages the Secretary of 
Defense to commission a study from the National Academies on 
PFAS essential uses and alternatives.

                 BIOTECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING INSTITUTES

    The Committee recognizes potential opportunities to 
mitigate supply chain risks and to create affordable and novel 
new materials by using biomanufacturing. The Committee 
continues to support the development of a network of 
bioindustrial manufacturing facilities to conduct research and 
development to improve the ability of the industrial base to 
assess, validate, and scale new, innovative bioindustrial 
manufacturing processes for the production of chemicals, 
materials, and other products necessary to support national 
security, such as melanin used for hypersonics heat shielding. 
The Committee recommendation includes $100,000,000 for the 
Biotechnology Manufacturing Institutes and expects these 
efforts to be focused on warfighter needs and the defense 
industrial base. The Committee directs the Under Secretary of 
Defense for Research and Engineering to provide a briefing on 
this effort to the congressional defense committees not later 
than 120 days after the enactment of this Act. The brief shall 
contain details on the biomanufacturing strategic plan, a list 
of defense-specific technologies being targeted and addressed, 
and a complete funding profile of the effort. Additionally, the 
Committee directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Research 
and Engineering to submit a spend plan to the House and Senate 
Appropriations Committees not later than 30 days prior to 
obligation of these funds.

                     ALTERNATIVE BATTERY CHEMISTRY

    The Committee is concerned by the dependence on offshore 
sources for batteries and battery raw materials. While 
potential alternatives, such as lithium-sulfur, exist, it is 
not clear there is sufficient effort to reduce the growing risk 
to this critical supply chain. Therefore, the Committee directs 
the Deputy Secretary of Defense to provide a brief to the 
congressional defense committees, not later than 120 days after 
the enactment of this Act, on potential alternatives or 
advanced battery chemistries to address strategic 
vulnerabilities, an assessment of the security risk associated 
with the sourcing of raw and processed materials from outside 
the United States, and a Department-wide plan to address these 
vulnerabilities.

                         SECURE COMMUNICATIONS

    The Committee recognizes the importance of secure 
communications for warfighters that provides anonymous and 
resilient capabilities. The Committee encourages U.S. Special 
Operations Command to explore diverse methodologies that haven 
been previously demonstrated and provide positive outcomes in 
real-world engagements and deployments.

                          LOITERING MUNITIONS

    The Committee supports new and innovative concepts for 
loitering munitions and supports multiple activities being 
developed across the Department of Defense. The Irregular 
Warfare Technical Support Directorate recently awarded a 
development contract for the ROC-X VTOL Loitering Munition 
within the Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office. The 
Committee is interested in these efforts and looks forward to 
evaluating the technology as it matures.

                           DRONE TECHNOLOGIES

    The Committee is concerned that the Department of Defense 
has not sufficiently prioritized the advancing and fielding 
drone technologies to include swarming, weaponization, and 
counter-drone defense. The Committee strongly encourages 
renewed efforts to ensure the Department has a global 
competitive advantage in this sector.

        NATIONAL CENTERS OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IN CYBERSECURITY

    The Committee's recommendation provides $25,000,000 above 
the request for the National Centers of Academic Excellence in 
Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program. The Committee intends that 
these funds be used, to the greatest extent practicable, to 
sustain NCAE-C broad agency announcement grants to centers of 
academic excellence to promote cybersecurity workforce 
development initiatives, advanced cyber research, and K-12 
pipelines. The Committee further encourages the expansion of 
the current NCAE-C Challenge and Workforce Assessment Tool to 
include the Department of Defense Cyber Workforce Framework for 
assessments required by law, as well as expansion of access to 
higher education institutions with students from underserved or 
underrepresented populations.

                OPERATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION, DEFENSE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Operational Test and Evaluation, Defense:

                                    EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS
                                            [In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        Budget       Committee      Change from
                                                                       Request      Recommended       Request
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPERATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION....................................      169,544         139,544         -30,000
    Transfer to RDTE,DW line 124...................................                      -25,000
    Transfer to RDTE,DW line 130...................................                       -5,000
LIVE FIRE TESTING..................................................      103,252         103,252               0
OPERATIONAL TEST ACTIVITIES AND ANALYSIS...........................       58,693          42,648         -16,045
    Inadequate justification.......................................                      -16,045
        TOTAL, OPERATIONAL TEST & EVALUATION, DEFENSE..............      331,489         285,444         -46,045
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                TITLE V

                     REVOLVING AND MANAGEMENT FUNDS

                     DEFENSE WORKING CAPITAL FUNDS

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
the Defense Working Capital Funds accounts:

                                    EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS
                                            [In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        Budget       Committee      Change from
                                                                       Request      Recommended       Request
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WORKING CAPITAL FUND, ARMY.........................................       29,213          29,213               0
WORKING CAPITAL FUND, AIR FORCE....................................       83,587          83,587               0
WORKING CAPITAL FUND, DEFENSE-WIDE.................................      114,667         106,367          -8,300
    Unjustified request............................................                       -8,300
DEFENSE WORKING CAPITAL FUND, DECA.................................    1,447,612       1,447,612               0
        TOTAL, DEFENSE WORKING CAPITAL FUNDS.......................    1,675,079       1,666,779          -8,300
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

              NATIONAL DEFENSE STOCKPILE TRANSACTION FUND

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $7,629,000 for 
the National Defense Stockpile Transaction Fund.

                                TITLE VI

                  OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS

                         DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
the Defense Health Program:


         REPROGRAMMING GUIDANCE FOR THE DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM

    The Act includes a provision which caps the funds available 
for Private Sector Care under the TRICARE program subject to 
prior approval reprogramming procedures. The provision and 
accompanying report language should not be interpreted as 
limiting the amount of funds that may be transferred to the In-
House Care budget sub-activity from other budget sub-activities 
within the Defense Health Program. In addition, funding for the 
In-House Care and Private Sector Care budget sub-activities are 
designated as congressional special interest items. Any 
transfer of funds in excess of $10,000,000 into or out of these 
sub-activities requires the Secretary of Defense to follow 
prior approval reprogramming procedures for operation and 
maintenance funds.
    The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide 
written notification to the congressional defense committees of 
cumulative transfers in excess of $10,000,000 out of the 
Private Sector Care budget sub-activity not later than 15 days 
after such a transfer. Furthermore, the Committee directs the 
Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the congressional 
defense committees, not later than 30 days after the enactment 
of this Act, that delineates transfers of funds, and the dates 
any transfers occurred, from the Private Sector Care budget 
sub-activity to any other budget sub-activity.
    Additionally, the Committee is increasingly concerned by 
the repurposing of Facilities Sustainment, Restoration and 
Modernization (FSRM) funding throughout the fiscal year. 
Deferring FSRM projects in favor of more immediate needs of the 
Defense Health Program may seem prudent at the time but comes 
with costly, severe, and enduring ramifications for 
servicemembers and beneficiaries. For this reason, the 
Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide written 
notification to the congressional defense committees of 
cumulative transfers in excess of $10,000,000 out of the Base 
Operations and Communications budget sub-activity not later 
than 15 days after such a transfer.
    The Committee further directs the Assistant Secretary of 
Defense for Health Affairs to provide quarterly briefings to 
the congressional defense committees, not later than 30 days 
after the end of each fiscal quarter, on budget execution data 
for all Defense Health Program budget activities, and to 
adequately reflect changes to the budget activities requested 
by the Services in future budget submissions. These reports 
shall also be provided to the Government Accountability Office.

                               CARRYOVER

    For fiscal year 2024, the Committee recommends one percent 
carryover authority for the operation and maintenance account 
of the Defense Health Program. The Committee directs the 
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to submit a 
detailed spending plan for any fiscal year 2023 designated 
carryover funds to the congressional defense committees not 
less than 30 days prior to executing the carryover funds.

                            MEDICAL RESEARCH

    Beginning in fiscal year 2023, most medical research 
conducted by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel 
Command will transition to the Defense Health Agency Research 
and Development organization. The Committee continues to 
monitor the transition of medical research assets and funding 
closely to ensure that core medical research funding is 
responsive to the needs of servicemembers. Additionally, the 
Committee recommendation for fiscal year 2024 includes 
$1,154,000,000 for the Congressionally Directed Medical 
Research Programs (CDMRP) to fund high-risk, high-reward 
medical research. The Committee directs the Assistant Secretary 
of Defense for Health Affairs to submit to the House and Senate 
Appropriations Committees a request for prior approval for any 
changes in management structure; functional alignment; or the 
two-tiered, peer-reviewed process proposed for the CDMRP 
program, not less than 30 days prior to any proposed changes 
taking place.
    Additionally, the Committee is aware of the use of agile 
contracting methods, such as other transaction agreements, that 
may help mitigate the impacts on medical readiness through 
public-private partnerships and encourages the Department to 
continue to leverage these mechanisms to ensure expeditious 
delivery of medical solutions.

               PEER-REVIEWED SPINAL CORD RESEARCH PROGRAM

    The Committee commends the Department of Defense for its 
ongoing work to expand technologies for improving outcomes 
following spinal cord injury and for the creation of the 
clinical translation research award. Preclinical research shows 
great promise for creating neuroplasticity to promote recovery 
of function. The Committee encourages the Director of the 
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs to support 
neuroplasticity projects with clear scientific merit and direct 
relevance to military populations as part of the peer-reviewed 
spinal cord research program.

                 PEER-REVIEWED CANCER RESEARCH PROGRAM

    The Committee recommends $150,000,000 for the peer-reviewed 
breast cancer research program, $110,000,000 for the peer-
reviewed prostate cancer research program, $45,000,000 for the 
peer-reviewed ovarian cancer research program, $50,000,000 for 
the peer-reviewed kidney cancer research program, $25,000,000 
for the peer-reviewed lung cancer research program, $40,000,000 
for the peer-reviewed melanoma research program, $15,000,000 
for the peer-reviewed pancreatic cancer research program, 
$17,500,000 for the peer-reviewed rare cancer research program, 
and $130,000,000 for the peer-reviewed cancer research program 
that would research cancers not addressed in the aforementioned 
programs currently executed by the Department of Defense.
    The funds provided in the peer-reviewed cancer research 
program are directed to be used to conduct research in the 
following areas: bladder cancer; blood cancers; brain cancer, 
including glioblastoma; colorectal cancer; endometrial cancer; 
esophageal cancer; germ cell cancers; liver cancer; lymphoma; 
metastatic cancers; myeloma; neuroblastoma; pediatric brain 
tumors; pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancers; 
sarcoma; stomach cancer; and thyroid cancer. The inclusion of 
the individual rare cancer research program shall not prohibit 
the peer-reviewed cancer research program from funding the 
previously mentioned cancers or cancer subtypes that may be 
rare by definition.
    The funds provided under the peer-reviewed cancer research 
program shall be used only for the purposes listed above. The 
Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health 
Affairs to submit a report, not later than 180 days after the 
enactment of this Act, to the congressional defense committees 
on the status of the peer-reviewed cancer research program. For 
each research area, the report shall include the funding amount 
awarded, the progress of the research, and the relevance of the 
research to servicemembers and their families.
    The Committee commends the Department of Defense for 
ensuring that projects funded through the various peer-reviewed 
cancer research programs maintain a focus on issues of 
significance to military populations and the warfighter. This 
includes promoting collaborative research proposals between 
Department of Defense researchers and non-military research 
institutions. These collaborations leverage the knowledge, 
infrastructure, and access to clinical populations that the 
partners bring to the research effort. Additionally, promoting 
these collaborations provides a valuable recruitment and 
retention incentive for military medical and research 
personnel. The Committee encourages the Assistant Secretary of 
Defense for Health Affairs to continue to emphasize the 
importance of these collaborations between military and non-
military researchers throughout the peer-review process.

                       METASTATIC CANCER RESEARCH

    While existing research shows there is a genetic basis for 
susceptibility to metastatic cancer or resistance to 
metastasis, the Committee believes more research and data are 
required to develop a comprehensive understanding of this 
complex process. Clinical trials are an important aspect of 
that process, and a diverse representation of patients in 
clinical trials is integral to the development of medications 
and therapies that effectively treat disease. In fiscal year 
2023, the Committee directed the Assistant Secretary of Defense 
for Health Affairs to provide an update on the progress of 
implementing outstanding recommendations from the April 2018 
Task Force Report to Congress on Metastatic Cancer and looks 
forward to the release of the report to continue to advance and 
support the work. The Committee encourages the Director of the 
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs to continue 
to partner with outside experts and other federal agencies to 
implement the outstanding recommendation from the April 2018 
Task Force Report to Congress on Metastatic Cancer concerning 
diverse enrollment in clinical trials. The Committee also 
encourages the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health 
Affairs to implement the recommendations to inform patients 
about risk factors for metastasis, increase cancer patient 
awareness of healthcare resources, and create standardized 
survivorship care plans for patients with metastatic cancer 
while validating whether their use improves outcomes for these 
patients. The Committee remains interested in areas where 
assistance from other federal agencies is required to fully 
implement the recommendations of the Task Force's report.

               JOINT WARFIGHTER MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM

    The Committee recommendation includes $20,000,000 for the 
continuation of the joint warfighter medical research program. 
The funding shall be used to augment and accelerate high 
priority Department of Defense and Service medical requirements 
and to continue prior year initiatives that are close to 
achieving their objectives and yielding a benefit to military 
medicine. The funding shall not be used for new projects nor 
for basic research, and it shall be awarded at the discretion 
of the Secretary of Defense following a review of medical 
research and development gaps as well as unfinanced medical 
requirements of the Services. Further, the Committee directs 
the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to submit 
a report, not later than 180 days after the enactment of this 
Act, to the congressional defense committees that lists the 
projects that receive funding. The report should include the 
funding amount awarded to each project, a thorough description 
of each project's research, and the benefit the research will 
provide to the Department of Defense.

               COMBAT READINESS MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM

    The Committee recommendation includes $5,000,000 for the 
Combat Readiness Medical Research program. The program should 
focus on medical needs of the warfighter on the battlefield, 
specifically including research to improve care during the 
``golden hour'' for servicemembers with life-threatening 
injuries, battlefield diagnostics, and medical threats and 
treatments for warfighters deployed around the world.
    The Committee expects the Assistant Secretary of Defense 
for Health Affairs to identify current gaps in medical planning 
and resources, consider medical capabilities that may mitigate 
fatalities, enhance battlefield diagnostics, and identify 
solutions for life threatening complications after battlefield 
injury.
    The funding in the Combat Readiness Medical Research 
program should be used for freeze dried plasma and platelets; 
purified exosomal product to treat battlefield orthopedic 
injuries; battlefield wound care technologies, including 
therapies and devices; dietary interventions and non-invasive 
brain stimulation in support of post-traumatic stress disorder; 
hydrocephalus research; hemorrhage field care; medical 
simulation technology; sleep disorders; eating disorders; 
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; 
sarcoidosis; combat medical skills sustainment training; highly 
infectious disease treatment and transport; telemedicine; 
Valley Fever; antibiotic susceptibility test development; TBI 
biomarkers; blast sensor technology; and infectious diseases.
    Additionally, future contested environments and multi-
domain operational scenarios will require new solutions and 
advanced blood products to care for casualties for prolonged 
periods of time. The Committee encourages the Director of the 
Defense Health Agency to explore the benefits of on-demand 
blood and other blood solutions that could be used to address 
battlefield trauma in a safe, effective, and logistically 
feasible way.

             PEER-REVIEWED TOXIC EXPOSURES RESEARCH PROGRAM

    The Committee is concerned by the number of known and 
unknown toxins servicemembers are exposed to as part of their 
military service. The Committee remains committed to veterans 
affected by Gulf War Illness and acknowledges a commonality 
between this community and others exposed to substances, 
including burn pit exposure, that result in multiple, diverse 
symptoms and health abnormalities. Therefore, the Committee 
recommends $30,000,000 for the peer-reviewed toxic exposures 
research program. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health 
Affairs is directed to select research projects of clear 
scientific merit and direct relevance to military exposures to 
toxic substances, including toxic industrial chemicals, 
materials, metals, and minerals. The inclusion of the toxic 
exposures research program shall not prohibit research in any 
other congressionally directed research program that may be 
associated with conditions or health abnormalities linked to 
toxic exposures.
    As with other research programs, the Committee expects 
projects funded through the peer-reviewed toxic exposures 
research program to maintain a focus on issues of significance 
to military populations and the warfighter and that the program 
shall promote collaborative research proposals between 
Department of Defense researchers and non-military research 
institutions.

                     NEXT-GENERATION VIRAL VECTORS

    The Committee recognizes the importance of having robust 
vaccine platforms to mitigate disease non-battle injuries and 
preserve servicemember medical readiness. The Committee 
understands that next-generation vectors derived from 
rhabdoviruses offer promising opportunities to support 
servicemember health and readiness. Vaccine formulations based 
on rhabdoviral vectors are known to be stable and can offer 
lasting protection with a single dose. As such, the Committee 
encourages the Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to 
explore the development of rhabdoviral vaccines.

             RAPID DEPLOYABLE SYNTHETIC VACCINE DEVELOPMENT

    The Committee notes the significant advancements in vaccine 
development and the need to rapidly distribute countermeasures 
to combat infectious diseases and virus variants when required 
for the protection of military personnel worldwide. The 
Committee encourages the Director of the Defense Health Agency 
and Director of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research 
Programs to continue exploring the research and development of 
low cost, single dose, and highly scalable synthetic peptide 
vaccines that allow for rapid deployment to military personnel.

                            NUCLEAR MEDICINE

    The Committee is encouraged by innovation in the field of 
nuclear medicine research and the potential of precision 
medicine through the use of novel diagnostic imaging and 
targeted radiotherapy. To enhance the development of precision 
imaging and advanced targeted therapies while creating medical 
and economic efficiencies, the Committee encourages the 
Director of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research 
Programs to include nuclear medicine imaging and related 
techniques in descriptions of funding opportunities, where 
relevant, to support early diagnosis, enhance treatment, and 
improve outcomes for servicemembers and their families.

       NOVEL STRATEGIES TO PREVENT INFECTION IN SEVERE FRACTURES

    The Committee is aware of emerging research and techniques 
to mitigate infections in servicemembers who suffer from severe 
fractures, especially, those serving in special operations, 
airborne operations, air assault operations, military freefall 
operations, and mountain warfare operations. The Committee 
notes that preventing infections is critical to a 
servicemember's recovery and return to duty, and therefore, the 
Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health 
Affairs, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense 
for Research and Engineering, to provide a briefing to the 
congressional defense committees, not later than 180 days after 
the enactment of this Act, on the plan to utilize emerging 
research and techniques to prevent infection in servicemembers 
who suffer severe fractures.

   LONG COVID AND MYALGIC ENCEPHALOMYELITIS/CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

    The Committee continues to encourage the Secretary of 
Defense, through the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health 
Affairs and in conjunction with the Services' Surgeons General, 
to conduct research on diagnostic testing, cures, and 
treatments of post-viral illness in military populations, 
specifically to address Long COVID and Myalgic 
Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

                        MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES

    The Committee understands servicemembers must often undergo 
orthopedic procedures and that musculoskeletal injuries account 
for a significant number of medical separations or retirements 
from military service. Given the importance of training for 
orthopedic procedures related to injuries to the knee, 
shoulder, and other extremities, the Committee encourages the 
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to explore 
partnerships with medical professional societies that maintain 
best practices on arthroscopic surgery and techniques, and to 
ensure that military orthopedic health professionals are 
provided opportunities for related advanced surgical training.
    Further, the Committee notes additional research on the 
injury mitigation and performance needs of women who are at a 
high risk for sustaining musculoskeletal injuries could be 
beneficial for their health and retention. As such, the 
Committee urges the Director of the Defense Health Agency and 
Director of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research 
Programs to support research into the musculoskeletal issues 
faced by women serving in infantry and other combat roles.

                    PEER-REVIEWED ARTHRITIS RESEARCH

    The Committee is concerned by the detrimental impact of 
arthritis on servicemembers and notes its impact on retention. 
Therefore, the Committee recommendation includes $10,000,000 
for the peer-reviewed arthritis research program. Funding 
provided in the peer-reviewed arthritis research program shall 
be used to conduct research on all forms of arthritis including 
osteoarthritis, posttraumatic arthritis, and rheumatoid 
arthritis. Further, arthritis research shall not be provided 
for in other peer-reviewed research programs beginning in 
fiscal year 2024. The inclusion of the peer-reviewed arthritis 
research program shall not prohibit research in any other 
congressionally directed research program that may be 
associated with conditions or health abnormalities related to 
arthritis.

                           CHIROPRACTIC CARE

    The Committee believes that servicemembers can benefit from 
chiropractic care and encourages the Director of the Defense 
Health Agency to explore ways to expand access to chiropractic 
care across the Military Health System.

                       ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS

    The Committee continues to support the efforts the 
Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs 
have been undertaking with regard to electronic health records 
and the health record system. It is the Committee's ongoing 
expectation that the Departments' electronic health record 
systems will be interoperable with seamless compatibility. The 
Committee directs the Director of the Federal Electronic Health 
Record Modernization (FEHRM) program office to continue to 
submit quarterly reports on the progress of interoperability 
between the two Departments to the House and Senate Defense 
Appropriations Subcommittees and the House and Senate Military 
Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Subcommittees.
    The Program Executive Officer of Defense Healthcare 
Management Systems (PEO DHMS), in conjunction with the Director 
of the FEHRM and the Director of the Defense Health Agency, is 
directed to submit quarterly reports to the congressional 
defense committees on the cost of the program, including any 
indirect costs funded outside of the DHMS Modernization 
Electronic Health Record program; and the schedule of the 
program, to include milestones, knowledge points, and 
acquisition timelines, and quarterly obligations. Further, the 
Committee directs the PEO DHMS to continue to brief the House 
and Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittees on a quarterly 
basis, coinciding with the report submission.
    The Department of Defense's electronic health record 
system, MHS GENESIS, is expected to be fully deployed and enter 
sustainment in fiscal year 2024. The Committee expects the PEO 
DHMS to communicate system adjustments, offer adequate 
training, and maintain support to users after each enhancement. 
Therefore, the Committee directs the PEO DHMS, within 60 days 
of enactment of this Act, to develop goals to improve user 
satisfaction, and begin measuring progress against those goals. 
The Committee directs the Comptroller General to continue 
quarterly performance reviews of MHS GENESIS with a focus on 
whether the program is meeting expected cost, schedule, scope, 
quality, and risk mitigation expectations, to include system 
enhancements, and expects the PEO DHMS will provide the 
Comptroller General regular and in-depth access to the program 
to facilitate these reviews.

      MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM REFORM: STRATEGY AND INTEGRATION PLAN

    The Committee remains concerned that reforms to the 
Military Health System (MHS), mandated by the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, have been implemented 
in a manner that has resulted in a more fractured healthcare 
system for servicemembers and beneficiaries. Specifically, the 
Committee is concerned about continued issues in medical 
readiness, medical manpower, and access to care. In order to 
achieve a more unified medical enterprise and integrated 
healthcare system that best supports servicemembers and 
beneficiaries, the Committee directs the Secretary of Defense 
to develop a strategy to address deficiencies within the MHS 
enterprise and brief the congressional defense committees on 
the strategy not later than 180 days after the enactment of 
this Act. The strategy shall address MHS roles and 
responsibilities; operational and Military Treatment Facility 
staffing; Defense Health Agency organizational structure; the 
Services' military medical manpower organizational structure; 
training and management of military and civilian medical 
personnel; the National Defense Strategy and Joint Medical 
Estimate; and resourcing requirements across the enterprise. 
The strategy should leverage insight from the MHS Executive 
Review.

                       MILITARY MEDICAL MANPOWER

    The Committee remains concerned that the Department's 
handling of military medical billet reductions, in response to 
the reforms mandated by the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2017, has negatively impacted access to quality 
healthcare services for servicemembers and beneficiaries. The 
Committee continues to direct the Services' Surgeons General to 
submit vacancy rates by occupational code to the congressional 
defense committees on a monthly basis and further directs the 
Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to submit vacancy 
rates among military and civilian medical personnel by location 
and specialty to the congressional defense committees on a 
quarterly basis.
    Further, the Committee is concerned by the understaffing of 
Military Treatment Facilities perpetuated by the current DHA 
market structure. In both rural and non-rural areas surrounding 
military installations, the restructuring of medical manpower 
and network inadequacies are negatively impacting regional 
access to care, particularly in areas deemed high risk and 
health shortage areas by the Department of Health and Human 
Services. Therefore, the Committee directs the Director of the 
DHA to submit a report to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees, not later than 60 days after the enactment of this 
Act, which shall provide recommendations on restructuring the 
DHA market structure, strengthening partnerships with community 
providers especially in rural areas, and reassigning personnel 
to address critical access to care issues in communities deemed 
high risk and health shortage areas.
    Additionally, the Committee acknowledges DHA's difficulties 
in attracting and hiring qualified medical personnel, 
particularly nurses. The Committee believes that current hiring 
practices leave the Department at a disadvantage when 
recruiting personnel. The Committee directs the Director of the 
DHA to examine the hiring policies for nurses, related 
specifically to required professional experience, and provide a 
briefing to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, not 
later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act, describing 
potential solutions to this impediment and the feasibility of 
providing market directors greater hiring flexibility.

                MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND TRAINING

    The Committee remains concerned about the shortage of 
current and prospective mental health care professionals, 
including social workers, clinical psychologists, and 
psychiatrists, for servicemembers and beneficiaries. To address 
the shortage across the Military Health System (MHS), the 
Committee urges the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health 
Affairs, the Director of the Defense Health Agency, and the 
Services' Surgeons General, to review the tools available to 
the Department of Defense to increase the number of mental 
health professionals it educates, trains, and hires. This 
review should consider how the Health Professions Scholarship 
Program and programming through Uniformed Services University 
of the Health Sciences (USUHS) could be expanded to increase 
the number of mental health-related scholarships granted with 
the goal of increasing the pipeline of mental health providers. 
Further, the Committee encourages the Assistant Secretary of 
Defense for Health Affairs to revise regulations regarding 
employment of clinical psychologists to include those who 
graduate from programs accredited by the Psychological Clinical 
Science Accreditation System.
    Additionally, while professionals working in the MHS are 
accustomed to dealing with the special needs of those who have 
experienced combat, many civilian providers lack the clinical 
expertise to effectively treat many of these unique mental 
health conditions. The Committee encourages the Assistant 
Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to leverage USUHS, in 
collaboration with leaders at the Department of Veterans 
Affairs, to develop a curriculum that could be accessed by 
civilian mental health students to broaden their knowledge, 
skills, and abilities that are necessary to evaluate and treat 
servicemembers, veterans, and military family members.

                  NON-URGENT MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS

    The Committee notes that many of the recommendations of the 
August 2020 Department of Defense Inspector General Evaluation 
of Access to Mental Health Care in the Department of Defense 
are resolved but remain open or are pending further review. 
Therefore, the Committee directs the Director of the Defense 
Health Agency (DHA) to provide an updated briefing to the 
congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after 
the enactment of this Act, on the status of implementing the 
recommendations. In particular, the Committee is interested in 
DHA's development of a standard definition and required 
elements for an initial non-urgent mental health assessment and 
a way to track whether the assessment is completed, in either a 
primary care or a specialty mental health clinic within the 7-
day standard. The briefing shall also include resource 
requirements that may be necessary to accomplish implementation 
of the Inspector General's recommendations.

                 NATIONAL INTREPID CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

    As servicemembers and veterans continue to face higher 
rates of brain trauma than the civilian population, it is 
imperative that agencies continue to collaborate to study 
neurological conditions. The Committee recognizes the high-
quality mental health care and neurological research conducted 
at the Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and 
Traumatic Brain Injury, and encourages the Assistant Secretary 
of Defense for Health Affairs to leverage the tremendous 
efforts of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence to expand 
its work and share best practices with the Department of 
Veterans Affairs. The Committee also applauds the partnership 
across the Military Health System Centers of Excellence and 
encourages the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health 
Affairs to streamline and standardize operating procedures and 
collaboration guidelines across locations.

                      PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLY CHAIN

    The Committee remains concerned with the Department of 
Defense's reliance on foreign suppliers in the pharmaceutical 
supply chain. The Committee believes the Department should 
ensure medication supply stability for deploying units and 
servicemembers in the event of a contingency or supply chain 
disruption. Moreover, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) should 
understand the quantity of critical pharmaceuticals needed for 
routine operations at Military Treatment Facilities and develop 
a plan on allocating these resources in case of disruption. The 
Committee anticipates the Department's response to House Report 
117-118, which requires a report by the Defense Logistics 
Agency (DLA) on the feasibility and estimated cost of expanding 
the Warstopper program, as well as solutions to mitigate 
pharmaceutical supply chain shortages. The Committee encourages 
the Director of the DHA and the Director of DLA to continue 
collaboration on these issues and ensure domestic sourcing of 
ingredients and production of pharmaceuticals where deemed 
appropriate.

                          COMMUNITY PHARMACIES

    The Committee is concerned that military families may have 
lost benefits at certain community pharmacies as a result of 
the Department of Defense's transition to the TRICARE 5th 
Generation Pharmacy Contract. Therefore, the Committee directs 
the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to 
provide a briefing to the congressional defense committees, not 
later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, on the 
reimbursement model for community pharmacies, efforts to ensure 
that the TRICARE pharmacy contract does not reimburse rates to 
community pharmacies that are less than the cost of the 
medications, and a plan to ensure that community pharmacies are 
engaged and given the opportunity to participate in the TRICARE 
network.

  NATIONAL DISASTER MEDICAL SYSTEM PILOT AND JOINT CIVILIAN-MILITARY 
                         MEDICAL SURGE CAPACITY

    The Committee notes a need for focus on medical 
capabilities and capacity required for the homeland defense 
mission. To address these gaps, Congress provided an additional 
$30,000,000 over fiscal years 2021 and 2022 to accelerate a 
pilot program on civilian and military partnerships to enhance 
interoperability and medical surge capability and capacity of 
the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS). While the 
Committee recommendation includes $5,000,000 for the effort in 
fiscal year 2024, it expects the Department of Defense to 
adequately plan, program, and budget for the remaining aspects 
of the pilot.
    The Committee's fiscal year 2024 recommendation also 
includes $28,480,000 for the third and final phase for a joint 
civilian-military modular surge capacity and capability to 
include an additional training function in partnership with the 
NDMS. As previously noted, the modular medical surge and 
training capacity should be adjacent to existing medical 
facilities; include laboratories, intensive care units, and x-
rays; and leverage staff and services available in the adjacent 
medical facility. The medical surge and training capacity 
should allow for research and development of best practices for 
preparedness and response and include transportable clinical 
response functionality.

                  SPACE FORCE HEALTH AND FITNESS PILOT

    The Committee acknowledges the Space Force's new health and 
fitness pilot, which will provide wearable fitness devices to 
servicemembers to track diet, exercise, and sleep, in lieu of 
annual physical fitness evaluations. The Committee encourages 
the Secretary of Defense and Service Secretaries to monitor 
this pilot and consider expansion as appropriate.

                     HUMAN PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION

    The Committee continues to support the health, well-being, 
and performance of our servicemembers through human performance 
optimization (HPO) programs. The Committee believes further 
research in this area would contribute to the Services' 
readiness requirements and therefore encourages collaboration 
across the Defense Health Agency, Services, and Defense 
Advanced Research Projects Agency, in partnership with 
universities and private entities, to share relevant research 
to enhance the operational purpose of HPO efforts.

           CHEMICAL AGENTS AND MUNITIONS DESTRUCTION, DEFENSE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction, Defense:

                                    EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS
                                            [In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Committee      Change from
                                                                  Budget Request    Recommended       Request
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE.......................................          89,284          89,284               0
RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION......................       1,002,560       1,002,560               0
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    TOTAL, CHEMICAL AGENTS AND MUNITIONS DESTRUCTION,  DEFENSE..       1,091,844       1,091,844               0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         DRUG INTERDICTION AND COUNTER-DRUG ACTIVITIES, DEFENSE

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense:

                                    EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS
                                            [In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Committee      Change from
                                                                  Budget Request    Recommended       Request
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COUNTER-NARCOTICS SUPPORT.......................................         643,848         693,848          50,000
    Program increase--enterprise-wide intelligence programs.....                          25,000
    Program increase--Project 5111: NORTHCOM Counternarcotics                             15,000
     Mission Support............................................
    Program increase--Project 3309: Joint Interagency Task                                10,000
     Force--West................................................
DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION PROGRAM...................................         134,313         138,313           4,000
    Program increase--Young Marines.............................                           4,000
NATIONAL GUARD COUNTER-DRUG PROGRAM.............................         102,272         300,000         197,728
    Program increase............................................                         167,728
    Program increase--equipment.................................                          30,000
NATIONAL GUARD COUNTER-DRUG SCHOOLS.............................           5,993          30,000          24,007
    Program increase............................................                          24,007
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
        TOTAL, DRUG INTERDICTION AND COUNTER-DRUG ACTIVITIES,            886,426       1,162,161         275,735
         DEFENSE................................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Committee notes that over one hundred thousand 
Americans died from drug overdoses in 2022, mostly as a result 
of illicit fentanyl. The Committee believes the fentanyl crisis 
is a national security issue that demands a whole-of-government 
approach, and the Department of Defense has an important role 
to play. The Committee recommendation includes $693,848,000 for 
Counter-Narcotics Support, including an additional $50,000,000 
for programs to counter illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids. 
The Secretary of Defense is directed to submit a spend plan for 
these additional funds to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees not later than 60 days after the enactment of this 
Act.
    The Committee recommendation supports the Department of 
Defense's intelligence programs in support of law enforcement 
partner efforts to deter, disrupt, and defeat global drug-
trafficking, illicit finance, and transnational organizations. 
Increased funding shall be for programs to counter illicit 
fentanyl and synthetic opioids, and related transnational 
criminal organizations including programs that go after the 
finances of these organizations. The Secretary of Defense 
should prioritize this funding on procuring technologies to 
enhance the capabilities of these programs. Increases in 
personnel in the future years defense program should be 
considered only following the completion of a workforce 
assessment.
    The Committee recommendation includes an additional 
$15,000,000 to support Joint Task Force-North's support for 
United States government efforts to undermine transnational 
criminal organizations responsible for the flow of illicit 
fentanyl and synthetic opioids into the United States. Funds 
should be used to establish a dedicated cell to provide 
intelligence analysis, counter threat finance analysis, and 
other support to interagency operations to crack down on 
illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioid precursors, pill presses, 
clandestine labs, and money laundering that facilitate cartel 
operations. The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the 
heads of other federal agencies, as appropriate, shall submit 
an implementation plan to the congressional defense committees 
not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act. The 
Committee expects the Department of Defense to increase 
coordination with other agencies including the Drug Enforcement 
Agency and Customs and Border Protection. Funds should also be 
used for military working dog teams to support law enforcement 
efforts to disrupt the flow of illicit fentanyl and synthetic 
opioids at United States ports of entry.
    The Committee notes the model of the Joint Interagency Task 
Force-South (JIATF-S), which has conducted detection and 
monitoring operations to support law enforcement disruptions of 
drug trafficking in the Caribbean for decades. The Committee 
directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the 
heads of other federal agencies, as appropriate, to submit a 
report to the congressional defense committees, not later than 
90 days after the enactment of this Act, on efforts to increase 
interagency coordination to counter illicit fentanyl and 
synthetic opioids production and trafficking to the United 
States. The report shall include an analysis of current 
mechanisms for coordinating interagency efforts and the 
feasibility of establishing a Department of Defense joint 
interagency task force for this purpose.
    The Committee recommendation includes an additional 
$10,000,000 for Joint Interagency Task Force-West's support of 
United States government efforts to counter the smuggling of 
chemical precursors from Asia to the Western Hemisphere.
    The Committee recommendation includes $300,000,000 for the 
National Guard Counter-Drug Program, of which $30,000,000 is 
provided for equipment, including equipment to enhance the 
National Guard's digital forensics capabilities. The 
recommendation also includes $30,000,000 for the National Guard 
Counterdrug Schools Program.
    The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide 
the following briefings to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees not later than 60 days after the enactment of this 
Act:
    (1) a briefing on current Administration strategies to 
counter illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioid production, 
including the Strategic Implementation Plan to Commercially 
Disrupt the Illicit Fentanyl Supply Chain, and any Department 
of Defense activities and programs in support of these 
strategies; and
    (2) a briefing on the National Guard Governors State Plans 
Program as it relates to measures to counter the flow of 
illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids into the United States, 
including a description of plans approved and denied by the 
Department during the previous year.
    The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide 
the following reports to the House and Senate Appropriations 
Committees not later than 90 days after the enactment of this 
Act:
    (1) a report on the performance, capacity, and throughput 
of each of the five counterdrug schools and an analysis of 
whether the current number of schools is meeting training 
demands; and
    (2) a report on commercial technologies that are available, 
in development, or that could be modified to detect or 
otherwise combat the flow of illicit fentanyl and synthetic 
opioids into the United States.
    The Secretary of Defense is directed to ensure that 
international programs requested and supported by this account 
do not duplicate programs funded by the Defense Security 
Cooperation Agency in the Operation and Maintenance, Defense-
Wide account. Any congressional notification submitted pursuant 
to 10 U.S.C. 284 shall identify any resources within the 
Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide account that are 
allocated for similar or related purposes.
    The Secretary of Defense is directed to provide quarterly 
reports to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on 
the use and status of funds provided under this heading, 
including information for each project as identified in the 
Project Definitions (PB 47) budget exhibit of the fiscal year 
2024 budget justification materials and other documentation 
supporting the fiscal year 2024 President's budget request. The 
report shall be submitted in unclassified form but may be 
accompanied by a classified annex.

    COMPTROLLER GENERAL REVIEW OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTIONS

    The Committee directs the Comptroller General of the United 
States to review Department of Defense Instruction 3000.14, 
Counterdrug and Counter-Transnational Organized Crime Policy, 
and Instruction 3100.01B National Guard Counterdrug Support 
Program, and examine whether such documents unduly limit the 
ability of the Department of Defense and National Guard Bureau 
to support counterdrug efforts under the law. The Comptroller 
General shall submit a report to the congressional defense 
committees not later than 90 days after the enactment of this 
Act.

                    OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

    The Committee recommends the following appropriations for 
the Office of the Inspector General:

                                    EXPLANATION OF PROJECT LEVEL ADJUSTMENTS
                                            [In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                     Committee      Change from
                                                                  Budget Request    Recommended       Request
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE.......................................         520,867         502,131         -18,736
    Program decrease--civilian workforce........................                          -4,000
    Program decrease............................................                         -15,736
PROCUREMENT.....................................................           1,098           1,098               0
RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION......................           3,400           3,400               0
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
        TOTAL, OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL..................         525,365         506,629         -18,736
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     END-USE MONITORING FOR UKRAINE

    The Committee directs the Department of Defense Inspector 
General to review the efficacy of the Department of Defense 
end-use monitoring program for United States defense articles 
designated for Ukraine since the February 24, 2022, Russian 
invasion of Ukraine and to submit a report and recommendations 
to the congressional defense committees not later than 90 days 
after the enactment of this Act.

                       ENHANCED UKRAINE OVERSIGHT

    The Committee requires enhanced oversight and 
accountability measures for funds appropriated for Ukraine. 
Therefore, the recommendation includes additional funding to 
carry out reviews of assistance provided for Ukraine in this 
and other Department of Defense Appropriations Acts. Such funds 
shall be used to establish an Office of the Special Inspector 
General for Ukraine Assistance, if authorized.

                               TITLE VII

                            RELATED AGENCIES

              NATIONAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE PROGRAMS

    The National Intelligence Program and the Military 
Intelligence Program budgets funded in this Act consist 
primarily of resources for the Director of National 
Intelligence, including the Intelligence Community Management 
staff, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Defense 
Intelligence Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office, the 
National Security Agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence 
Agency, the intelligence services of the Departments of the 
Army, Navy, and Air Force, and the CIA Retirement and 
Disability fund.

                            CLASSIFIED ANNEX

    Adjustments to classified programs are addressed in a 
separate, detailed, and comprehensive classified annex. The 
Intelligence Community, the Department of Defense, and other 
organizations are expected to fully comply with the 
recommendations and directions in the classified annex 
accompanying the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 
2024.

   CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY RETIREMENT AND DISABILITY SYSTEM FUND

 
 
 
Fiscal year 2024 budget request.......................      $514,000,000
Committee recommendation..............................       514,000,000
Change from budget request............................             - - -
 

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $514,000,000 
for the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability 
System Fund. This is a mandatory account.
    This appropriation provides payments of benefits to 
qualified beneficiaries in accordance with the Central 
Intelligence Agency Retirement Act of 1964 for Certain 
Employees (Public Law 88-643), as amended by Public Law 94-522. 
This statute authorized the establishment of the CIA Retirement 
and Disability System for certain employees and authorized the 
establishment and maintenance of a fund from which benefits 
would be paid to those beneficiaries.

               INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT ACCOUNT

 
 
 
Fiscal year 2024 budget request.......................      $650,000,000
Committee recommendation..............................       608,820,000
Change from budget request............................       -41,180,000
 

    The Committee recommends an appropriation of $608,820,000 
for the Intelligence Community Management Account.

                               TITLE VIII

                           GENERAL PROVISIONS

    Title VIII of the accompanying bill includes 154 general 
provisions. A brief description of each general provision 
follows.
    Section 8001 prohibits the use of funds for publicity or 
propaganda purposes not authorized by Congress.
    Section 8002 provides for conditions and limitations on the 
payment of compensation to, or employment of, foreign 
nationals.
    Section 8003 limits the availability of funds.
    Section 8004 limits the obligation of funds during the last 
two months of the fiscal year.
    Section 8005 provides general transfer authority of funds 
to other military functions.
    Section 8006 provides that the tables titled ``Explanation 
of Project Level Adjustments'' shall be carried out in the 
manner provided by the tables to the same extent as if the 
tables were included in the text of this Act.
    Section 8007 provides for the establishment of a baseline 
for application of reprogramming and transfer authorities for 
the current fiscal year.
    Section 8008 provides for limitations on the use of 
transfer authority of working capital fund cash balances.
    Section 8009 prohibits the use of funds to initiate a 
special access program without prior notification to the 
congressional defense committees.
    Section 8010 provides limitations and conditions on the use 
of funds to initiate multiyear procurement contracts.
    Section 8011 provides for the use of funds for humanitarian 
and civic assistance costs.
    Section 8012 prohibits the use of funds to influence 
congressional action on any matters pending before the 
Congress.
    Section 8013 prohibits the use of funds to reduce the 
number of strategic delivery vehicles and launchers.
    Section 8014 provides for the transfer of funds for the 
Department of Defense Pilot Mentor-Protege Program.
    Section 8015 provides for the Department of Defense to 
purchase anchor and mooring chains manufactured only in the 
United States.
    Section 8016 prohibits funds for any non-appropriated 
activity of the Department of Defense that procures malt 
beverages and wine except under certain conditions.
    Section 8017 prohibits the use of funds to demilitarize or 
dispose of certain surplus firearms and small arms ammunition 
or ammunition components.
    Section 8018 provides a limitation on funds being used for 
the relocation of any Department of Defense entity into or 
within the National Capital Region.
    Section 8019 provides for incentive payments authorized by 
section 504 of the Indian Financing Act of 1974 (25 U.S.C. 
1544).
    Section 8020 provides for the conveyance, without 
consideration, of relocatable housing units that are excess to 
the needs of the Air Force.
    Section 8021 provides funds for the mitigation of 
environmental impacts on Indian lands resulting from Department 
of Defense activities.
    Section 8022 prohibits funds for the Defense Media Activity 
from being used for national or international political or 
psychological activities.
    Section 8023 has been amended and provides funding for the 
Civil Air Patrol Corporation.
    Section 8024 prohibits funds from being used to establish 
new Department of Defense Federally Funded Research and 
Development Centers.
    Section 8025 defines the congressional defense committees.
    Section 8026 defines the congressional intelligence 
committees.
    Section 8027 provides for competitions between private 
firms and Department of Defense depot maintenance activities.
    Section 8028 requires the Department of Defense to comply 
with the Buy American Act.
    Section 8029 provides for the Department of Defense to 
procure carbon, alloy, or armor steel plate melted and rolled 
only in the United States and Canada.
    Section 8030 provides for the revocation of blanket waivers 
of the Buy American Act.
    Section 8031 prohibits the use of funds for the procurement 
of ball and roller bearings other than those produced by a 
domestic source and of domestic origin.
    Section 8032 prohibits the use of funds to purchase 
supercomputers which are not manufactured in the United States.
    Section 8033 provides a waiver of Buy American provisions 
for certain cooperative programs.
    Section 8034 prohibits the use of funds for the purchase or 
manufacture of a United States flag unless such flags are 
treated as covered items under section 4862(b) of title 10 
United States Code.
    Section 8035 provides for the availability of funds 
contained in the Department of Defense Overseas Military 
Facility Investment Recovery Account.
    Section 8036 provides authority to use operation and 
maintenance appropriations to purchase items having an 
investment item unit cost of not more than $350,000.
    Section 8037 has been amended and provides authority to use 
operation and maintenance appropriations for the Asia Pacific 
Regional Initiative Program.
    Section 8038 prohibits the sale of tobacco products in 
military resale outlets below the most competitive price in the 
local community.
    Section 8039 prohibits the use of Working Capital Funds to 
purchase specified investment items.
    Section 8040 provides limitations on the availability of 
funds appropriated for the Central Intelligence Agency.
    Section 8041 places limitations on the use of funds made 
available in this Act to establish field operating agencies.
    Section 8042 places restrictions on converting to 
contractor performance an activity or function of the 
Department of Defense unless it meets certain guidelines.

                             (RESCISSIONS)

    Section 8043 provides for the rescission of $804,687,000 
from the following programs:

 
 
 
2022 Appropriations:
    Missile Procurement, Army:
        Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System........         9,093,000
    Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat
     Vehicles, Army:
        Assault Bridge (MOD)..........................         1,900,000
    Other Procurement, Army:
        Disaster Incident Response Communications              1,600,000
         Terminal.....................................
        Husky Standoff Minefield Detection System.....         2,372,000
        Render Safe Sets, Kits, and Outfits...........         1,074,000
        Accessions Information Environment............        39,635,000
    Aircraft Procurement, Navy:
        Common Ground Equipment.......................         1,428,000
    Weapons Procurement, Navy:
        Aerial Targets................................        13,058,000
    Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps:
        Infantry Weapons Ammunition...................         1,012,000
    Other Procurement, Navy:
        Underwater EOD Equipment......................         2,975,000
    Cooperative Threat Reduction:
        Cooperative Threat Reduction..................        75,000,000
2023 Appropriations:
    Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide:
        DSCA Security Cooperation.....................        75,000,000
    Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund:
        Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund.............        50,000,000
    Other Procurement, Army:
        Disaster Incident Response Communications              4,066,000
         Terminal.....................................
    Aircraft Procurement, Navy:
        Marine Group 5 UAS Series.....................        10,033,000
    Weapons Procurement, Navy:
        Tomahawk......................................        40,000,000
        Aerial Targets................................        13,139,000
    Other Procurement, Navy:
        LCS SUW Mission Modules.......................         1,550,000
    Procurement, Marine Corps:
        EOD Systems...................................        26,554,000
        Radio Systems.................................       128,750,000
    Other Procurement, Air Force:
        Classified Adjustment.........................        45,000,000
    Procurement, Defense Wide:
        Mentor Protege......................        32,148,000
    Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air
     Force:
        AC/HC/MC-130J.................................        29,300,000
No-Year Appropriations:
    Defense Working Capital Funds:
        Army Working Capital Fund.....................       100,000,000
        Navy Working Capital Fund.....................       100,000,000
 

    Section 8044 prohibits the use of funds to reduce 
authorized positions for military technicians (dual status) of 
the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, Army Reserve, and 
Air Force Reserve unless such reductions are a direct result of 
a reduction in military force structure.
    Section 8045 prohibits funds for assistance to the 
Democratic People's Republic of Korea unless specifically 
appropriated for that purpose.
    Section 8046 provides for reimbursement to the National 
Guard and reserve when members of the National Guard and 
reserve provide intelligence or counterintelligence support to 
the combatant commands, defense agencies, and joint 
intelligence activities.
    Section 8047 prohibits the transfer of Department of 
Defense and Central Intelligence Agency drug interdiction and 
counter-drug activities funds to other agencies except as 
specifically provided in an appropriations law.
    Section 8048 provides funding for Red Cross and United 
Services Organization grants.
    Section 8049 provides funds for the Small Business 
Innovation Research program and the Small Business Technology 
Transfer program.
    Section 8050 prohibits funds for contractor bonuses being 
paid due to business restructuring.
    Section 8051 provides transfer authority for the pay of 
military personnel in connection with support and services for 
eligible organizations and activities outside the Department of 
Defense.
    Section 8052 provides conditions for the use of equipment 
of the National Guard Distance Learning Project on a space-
available, reimbursable basis.
    Section 8053 prohibits funds to retire C-40 aircraft, with 
certain exceptions.
    Section 8054 prohibits the use of funds to procure end-
items for delivery to military forces for operational training, 
operational use or inventory requirements.
    Section 8055 prohibits funds for repairs or maintenance to 
military family housing units.
    Section 8056 provides obligation authority for new starts 
for defense innovation acceleration or rapid prototyping 
program demonstration projects only after notification to the 
congressional defense committees.
    Section 8057 requires a classified quarterly report on 
certain matters as directed in the classified annex 
accompanying this Act.
    Section 8058 provides for the use of National Guard 
personnel to support ground-based elements of the National 
Ballistic Missile Defense System.
    Section 8059 prohibits the use of funds to transfer certain 
ammunition.
    Section 8060 provides for a waiver by the Chief of the 
National Guard Bureau or his designee for all or part of 
consideration in cases of personal property leases of less than 
one year.
    Section 8061 provides for the transfer of funds made 
available in this Act under Operation and Maintenance, Army to 
other activities of the federal government for classified 
purposes.
    Section 8062 prohibits the use of funds to separate, or to 
consolidate from within, the National Intelligence Program 
budget from the Department of Defense budget.
    Section 8063 provides the authority to transfer funding 
from operation and maintenance accounts for the Army, Navy, and 
Air Force to the central fund for Fisher Houses and Suites.
    Section 8064 provides grant authority 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.
    Section 8065 provides for the authority to transfer funding 
made available in this Act under Operation and Maintenance, 
Navy to the John C. Stennis Center for Public Service 
Development Trust Fund.
    Section 8066 prohibits the modification of command and 
control relationships to give Fleet Forces Command operational 
and administrative control of United States Navy forces 
assigned to the Pacific fleet.
    Section 8067 requires notification for the rapid 
acquisition and deployment of supplies and associated support 
services.
    Section 8068 provides funding and transfer authority for 
the Israeli Cooperative Programs.
    Section 8069 provides for the funding of prior year 
shipbuilding cost increases.
    Section 8070 provides authorization for funds for 
intelligence and intelligence related activities until the 
enactment of an Intelligence Authorization Act.
    Section 8071 prohibits funds to initiate a new start 
program without prior written notification.
    Section 8072 prohibits the use of funds for the research, 
development, test, evaluation, procurement, or deployment of 
nuclear armed interceptors of a missile defense system.
    Section 8073 has been amended and prohibits funds for the 
decommissioning of certain ships.
    Section 8074 provides limitations on the Shipbuilding and 
Conversion, Navy appropriation.
    Section 8075 prohibits the use of funds to reduce or 
disestablish the operation of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance 
Squadron of the Air Force Reserve.
    Section 8076 prohibits the use of funds from being used to 
transfer program authority relating to current tactical 
unmanned aerial vehicles from the Army and requires the Army to 
retain responsibility for and operational control of the MQ-1C 
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.
    Section 8077 prohibits funds for the integration of foreign 
intelligence information unless the information has been 
lawfully collected and processed during conduct of authorized 
foreign intelligence activities.
    Section 8078 limits the availability of funding provided 
for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence beyond 
the current fiscal year, except for funds appropriated for 
research and technology.
    Section 8079 provides for the establishment of a baseline 
for application of reprogramming and transfer authorities for 
the Office of the Director of National Intelligence for the 
current fiscal year.
    Section 8080 provides for limitations on funding provided 
for the National Intelligence Program to be available for 
obligation or expenditure through a reprogramming or transfer 
of funds in accordance with the National Security Act of 1947.
    Section 8081 provides the Director of National Intelligence 
with general transfer authority, with certain limitations.
    Section 8082 places limitations on the reprogramming of 
funds from the Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce 
Development Account.
    Section 8083 prohibits funds for federal contracts in 
excess of $1,000,000 unless the contractor meets certain 
conditions.
    Section 8084 provides funds for transfer to the Joint 
Department of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs Medical 
Facility Demonstration Fund.
    Section 8085 prohibits the use of funds in contravention of 
the provisions of section 130h of title 10, United States Code.
    Section 8086 provides 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.
    Section 8087 authorizes the use of funds in the 
Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy account to purchase two used 
auxiliary vessels for the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
    Section 8088 provides that any agency receiving funds made 
available in this Act shall post on a public website any report 
required to be submitted to Congress with certain exceptions.
    Section 8089 directs the Secretary of Defense to post grant 
awards on a public website in a searchable format.
    Section 8090 Section 8090 prohibits the use of funds by the 
National Security Agency for targeting United States persons 
under authorities granted in the Foreign Intelligence 
Surveillance Act.
    Section 8091 places restrictions on transfer amounts 
available to pay salaries for non-Department of Defense 
personnel.
    Section 8092 has been amended and provides that operation 
and maintenance funds may be used for any purposes related to 
the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
    Section 8093 prohibits the use of funds to award a new TAO 
Fleet Oiler or FFG Frigate program contract for the acquisition 
of certain components unless those components are manufactured 
in the United States.
    Section 8094 prohibits the use of funds for the development 
and design of certain future naval ships unless any contract 
specifies that all hull, mechanical, and electrical components 
are manufactured in the United States.
    Section 8095 prohibits certain transfers from the 
Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Development 
Account.
    Section 8096 provides for the procurement of certain 
vehicles in the United States Central Command area, with 
limitations.
    Section 8097 prohibits the use of funds for gaming or 
entertainment that involves nude entertainers.
    Section 8098 prohibits the use of funds for information 
technology systems that do not have pornographic content 
filters.
    Section 8099 places restrictions on the use of funding for 
military parades.
    Section 8100 prohibits the use of funds to enter into a 
contract or provide a loan to any corporation that has any 
unpaid Federal tax liability.
    Section 8101 provides funds for certain software pilot 
programs.
    Section 8102 prohibits the transfer of the National 
Reconnaissance Office to the Space Force.
    Section 8103 prohibits the use of funds in contravention of 
the United Nations Convention Against Torture.
    Section 8104 provides security assistance for Ukraine.
    Section 8105 prohibits funds to the Azov Battalion.
    Section 8106 provides for the obligation of funds in 
anticipation of receipt of contributions from the Government of 
Kuwait.
    Section 8107 provides funding for International Security 
Cooperation Programs.
    Section 8108 provides funding to reimburse certain 
countries for border security.
    Section 8109 prohibits the use of funds in contravention of 
the War Powers Resolution.
    Section 8110 prohibits the use of funds in violation of the 
Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008.
    Section 8111 prohibits funds for any member of the Taliban.
    Section 8112 provides that certain support to friendly 
foreign countries be made in accordance with section 8005 of 
this Act.
    Section 8113 prohibits the use of funds to enter into a 
contract with Rosoboronexport.
    Section 8114 provides funding to reimburse key cooperating 
nations for logistical, military, and other support.
    Section 8115 requires notification of the receipt of 
contributions from foreign governments and notification prior 
to obligating such funds.
    Section 8116 requires the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to 
report on any unplanned activity or exercise.
    Section 8117 requires notification if a foreign base is 
opened or closed.
    Section 8118 prohibits the use of funds with respect to 
Iraq in contravention of the War Powers Resolution.
    Section 8119 prohibits the use of funds with respect to 
Syria in contravention of the War Powers Resolution.
    Section 8120 prohibits funds to establish permanent bases 
in Iraq or Afghanistan or United States control over Iraq or 
Syria oil resources.
    Section 8121 prohibits the use of funds under certain 
headings to procure or transfer man-portable air defense 
systems.
    Section 8122 provides security assistance to Jordan.
    Section 8123 requires the United States Southern Command to 
assume combatant command responsibility for activities related 
to Mexico.
    Section 8124 prohibits the use of funds to transfer, 
release, or assist in the transfer or release to or within the 
United States of certain detainees.
    Section 8125 prohibits the use of funds 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 or any other foreign country.
    Section 8126 prohibits the use of funds to construct, 
acquire, or modify any facility in the United States to house 
any individual detained at United States Naval Station 
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
    Section 8127 prohibits the use of funds to carry out the 
closure of the United States Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, 
Cuba.
    Section 8128 has been amended and reflects savings due to 
favorable foreign exchange rates.
    Section 8129 provides guidance on the implementation of the 
Policy for Assisted Reproductive Services for the Benefit of 
Seriously or Severely Ill/Injured Active Duty Service Members.
    Section 8130 prohibits the use of funds to support the 
Wuhan Institute of Virology, or any laboratory owned or 
controlled by the governments of foreign adversaries.
    Section 8131 prohibits the use of funds for any work to be 
performed by EcoHealth Alliance, Inc. in China on research 
supported by the Government of the People's Republic of China.
    Section 8132 requires the Secretary of the Navy to provide 
pay and allowances to Lieutenant Ridge Alkonis.
    Section 8133 provides the authority for the Secretary of 
Defense to obligate funds to modify up to six F-35 aircraft to 
a test configuration.
    Section 8134 prohibits the use of funds to integrate an 
alternative engine on any F-35 aircraft.
    Section 8135 provides the authority to be used to enter 
into a contract for the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter program.
    Section 8136 directs the Secretary of Defense to allocate 
amounts made available from the Creating Helpful Incentives to 
Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Defense Fund.

 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS: CHIPS AND SCIENCE ACT FISCAL
                                YEAR 2024
                        [In thousands of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide
 Budget Activity 02, Applied Research:
    Microelectronics
    Commons.............................................      65,062,000
Budget Activity 03, Advanced Technology Development:
    Microelectronics
    Commons.............................................     269,256,000
Budget Activity 04, Advanced Technology Development:
    Microelectronics
    Commons.............................................      65,682,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 8137 enables the Office of Strategic Capital to use 
appropriated funds for loans and loan guarantees.
    Section 8138 provides funds to increase pay for certain 
enlisted grades.
    Section 8139 prohibits the use of funds to release certain 
information regarding a current or former member of the Armed 
Forces without their consent except in cases of law enforcement 
or Freedom of Information Act requests.
    Section 8140 prohibits the use of certain funds for United 
States Space Command until such time as the Secretary of the 
Air Force formally selects and publicly announces the permanent 
location of the United States Space Command Headquarters.
    Section 8141 prohibits funds to carry out section 554(a) of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 
(Public Law 116-283).
    Section 8142 prohibits funds to implement, administer, 
apply, enforce, or carry out measures relating to the 
Department of Defense diversity, equity, inclusion, and 
accessibility strategy, certain executive orders, and execute 
activities that promote or perpetuate divisive concepts related 
to race or sex.
    Section 8143 prohibits the use of funds to perform surgical 
procedures or hormone therapies for the purposes of gender 
affirming care.
    Section 8144 prohibits the use of funds to promote, host, 
facilitate, or support a drag queen story hour for children on 
United States military installations or for military recruiting 
programs that feature drag queens.
    Section 8145 prohibits the use of funds to recruit, hire, 
or promote any person who has been convicted of charges related 
to child pornography or other sexual misconduct.
    Section 8146 prohibits the use of funds for paid leave and 
travel or related expenses of a federal employee or their 
dependents for the purposes of obtaining an abortion or 
abortion-related services.
    Section 8147 prohibits the use of funds to finalize, 
implement, or promulgate the rule proposed by the Department of 
Defense on November 14, 2022, titled ``Federal Acquisition 
Regulation: Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate-
Related Financial Risk.''
    Section 8148 prohibits funds to carry out any program, 
project, or activity that promotes or advances Critical Race 
Theory or any concept associated with Critical Race Theory.
    Section 8149 prohibits the use of funds to label 
communications by United States persons as misinformation, 
disinformation, or malinformation or to partner with or fund 
nonprofits or other organizations that pressure private 
companies to censor lawful and constitutionally protected 
speech.
    Section 8150 prohibits the use of funds to grant, renew, or 
maintain a security clearance for any individual listed as a 
signatory in the statement titled ``Public Statement on the 
Hunter Biden Emails'' dated October 19, 2020.
    Section 8151 prohibits funds to take any discriminatory 
action against a person, wholly or partially, on the basis that 
such person speaks, or acts, in accordance with a sincerely 
held religious belief, or moral conviction, that marriage is, 
or should be recognized as, a union of one man and one woman.
    Section 8152 prohibits funding to fly or display flags 
other than those specified in this section.
    Section 8153 directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a 
report on excessive contractor payments.
    Section 8154 establishes a spending reduction account.

            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

    The following items are included in accordance with various 
requirements of the Rules of the House of Representatives:

         STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the following is a statement of 
general performance goals and objectives for which this measure 
authorizes funding:
    The Committee on Appropriations considers program 
performance, including a program's success in developing and 
attaining outcome-related goals and objectives, in developing 
funding recommendations.

                          PROGRAM DUPLICATION

    No provision of this bill establishes or reauthorizes a 
program of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of 
another Federal program, a program that was included in any 
report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress 
pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program 
related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance.

                           TRANSFER OF FUNDS

    Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the following is submitted describing 
the transfer of funds provided in the accompanying bill.
    Language has been included under ``Operation and 
Maintenance, Defense-Wide'' which provides for the transfer of 
funds for certain classified activities.
    Language has been included under ``Environmental 
Restoration, Army'' which provides for the transfer of funds 
for environmental restoration, reduction and recycling of 
hazardous waste, removal of unsafe buildings and debris, or for 
similar purposes.
    Language has been included under ``Environmental 
Restoration, Navy'' which provides for the transfer of funds 
for environmental restoration, reduction and recycling of 
hazardous waste, removal of unsafe buildings and debris, or for 
similar purposes.
    Language has been included under ``Environmental 
Restoration, Air Force'' which provides for the transfer of 
funds for environmental restoration, reduction and recycling of 
hazardous waste, removal of unsafe buildings and debris, or for 
similar purposes.
    Language has been included under ``Environmental 
Restoration, Defense-Wide'' which provides for the transfer of 
funds for environmental restoration, reduction and recycling of 
hazardous waste, removal of unsafe buildings and debris, or for 
similar purposes.
    Language has been included under ``Environmental 
Restoration, Formerly Used Defense Sites'' which provides for 
the transfer of funds for environmental restoration, reduction 
and recycling of hazardous waste, removal of unsafe buildings 
and debris, or for similar purposes.
    Language has been included under ``Drug Interdiction and 
Counter-Drug Activities, Defense'' which provides for the 
transfer of funds to appropriations available to the Department 
of Defense for military personnel of the reserve components; 
for operation and maintenance; for procurement; and for 
research, development, test and evaluation for drug 
interdiction and counter-drug activities of the Department of 
Defense.
    Language has been included under ``General Provisions, Sec. 
8005'' which provides for the transfer of working capital funds 
to other appropriations accounts of the Department of Defense 
for military functions.
    Language has been included under ``General Provisions, Sec. 
8008'' which provides for the transfer of funds between working 
capital funds and the ``Foreign Currency Fluctuations, 
Defense'' appropriation and the operation and maintenance 
appropriation accounts.
    Language has been included under ``General Provisions, Sec. 
8014'' which provides for the transfer of funds from the 
Department of Defense Pilot Mentor-Protege Program to any other 
appropriation for the purposes of implementing a Mentor-Protege 
Program development assistance agreement.
    Language has been included under ``General Provisions, Sec. 
8051'' which provides for the transfer of funds from 
``Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide'' to appropriations 
available for the pay of military personnel in connection with 
support and services of eligible organizations and activities 
outside the Department of Defense.
    Language has been included under ``General Provisions, Sec. 
8061'' which provides for the transfer of funds from 
``Operation and Maintenance, Army'' to other activities of the 
federal government.
    Language has been included under ``General Provisions, Sec. 
8063'' which provides for the transfer of funds from 
``Operation and Maintenance, Army'', ``Operation and 
Maintenance, Navy'', and ``Operation and Maintenance, Air 
Force'' to the central fund established for Fisher Houses and 
Suites.
    Language has been included under ``General Provisions, Sec. 
8064'' which provides for the transfer of funds 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.
    Language has been included under ``General Provisions, Sec. 
8065'' which provides for the transfer of funds from 
``Operation and Maintenance, Navy'' to the John C. Stennis 
Center for Public Service Development Trust Fund.
    Language has been included under ``General Provisions, Sec. 
8068'' which provides for the transfer of funds from 
``Procurement, Defense-Wide'' and ``Research, Development, Test 
and Evaluation, Defense-Wide'' for the Israeli Cooperative 
Programs.
    Language has been included under ``General Provisions, Sec. 
8069'' which provides for the transfer of funds from 
``Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy'' to fund prior year 
shipbuilding cost increases.
    Language has been included under ``General Provisions, Sec. 
8081'' which provides for the transfer of funds for the 
National Intelligence Program.
    Language has been included under ``General Provisions, Sec. 
8084'' which provides for the transfer of 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.
    Language has been included under ``General Provisions, Sec. 
8087'' which provides for the transfer of funds from 
``Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy'' to purchase two used 
auxiliary vessels for the National Defense Reserve fleet.

                               RECISSIONS

    Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives, the following table is submitted 
describing the recissions recommended in the accompanying bill:

 
 
 
2022 Appropriations:
    Missile Procurement, Army:
        Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System........         9,093,000
    Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat
     Vehicles, Army:
        Assault Bridge (MOD)..........................         1,900,000
    Other Procurement, Army:
        Disaster Incident Response Communications              1,600,000
         Terminal.....................................
        Husky Standoff Minefield Detection System.....         2,372,000
        Render Safe Sets, Kits, and Outfits...........         1,074,000
        Accessions Information Environment............        39,635,000
    Aircraft Procurement, Navy:
        Common Ground Equipment.......................         1,428,000
    Weapons Procurement, Navy:
        Aerial Targets................................        13,058,000
    Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps:
        Infantry Weapons Ammunition...................         1,012,000
    Other Procurement, Navy:
        Underwater EOD Equipment......................         2,975,000
    Cooperative Threat Reduction:
        Cooperative Threat Reduction..................        75,000,000
2023 Appropriations:
    Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide:
        DSCA Security Cooperation.....................        75,000,000
    Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund:
        Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund.............        50,000,000
    Other Procurement, Army:
        Disaster Incident Response Communications              4,066,000
         Terminal.....................................
    Aircraft Procurement, Navy:
        Marine Group 5 UAS Series.....................        10,033,000
    Weapons Procurement, Navy:
        Tomahawk......................................        40,000,000
        Aerial Targets................................        13,139,000
    Other Procurement, Navy:
        LCS SUW Mission Modules.......................         1,550,000
    Aircraft Procurement, Army:
        EOD Systems...................................        26,554,000
        Radio Systems.................................       128,750,000
    Other Procurement, Air Force:
        Classified Adjustment.........................        45,000,000
    Procurement, Defense Wide:
        Mentor Protege......................        32,148,000
    Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air
     Force:
        AC/HC/MC-130J.................................        29,300,000
No-Year Appropriations:
    Defense Working Capital Funds:
        Army Working Capital Fund.....................       100,000,000
        Navy Working Capital Fund.....................       100,000,000
 

   DISCLOSURE OF EARMARKS AND CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING ITEMS

    Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House 
of Representatives, neither the bill nor this report contains 
any congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited 
tariff benefits as defined in clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules 
of the House of Representatives.

               CHANGES IN THE APPLICATION OF EXISTING LAW

    Pursuant to clause 3(f)(1)(A) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, the following statements are 
submitted describing the effect of provisions in the 
accompanying bill which directly or indirectly change the 
application of existing law.
    Language is included in various parts of the bill to 
continue ongoing activities which require annual authorization 
or additional legislation, which to date has not been enacted.
    The bill includes a number of provisions which place 
limitations on the use of funds in the bill or change existing 
limitations and which might, under some circumstances, be 
construed as changing the application of law.
    The bill includes a number of provisions which provide for 
the transfer of funds and which might, under some 
circumstances, be construed as changing the application of law.
    The bill includes a number of provisions, which have been 
virtually unchanged for many years that are technically 
considered legislation.
    The bill provides that appropriations shall remain 
available for more than one year for some programs for which 
the basic authorizing legislation does not presently authorize 
each extended availability.
    In various places in the bill, the Committee has allocated 
funds within appropriation accounts in order to fund specific 
programs.
    Language is included in various accounts placing a 
limitation on funds for emergencies and extraordinary expenses.
    Language is included that provides not more than $2,981,000 
for the Combatant Commander Initiative Fund.
    Language is included that provides not less than 
$55,000,000 for the Procurement Technical Assistance 
Cooperative Agreement Program, of which not less than 
$5,000,000 shall be available for centers.
    Language is included that prohibits the consolidation of 
certain legislative affairs or liaison offices.
    Language is included that makes available $25,968,000 for 
certain classified activities, allows such funds to be 
transferred between certain accounts, and exempts such funds 
from the investment item unit cost ceiling.
    Language is included under the heading ``Counter-ISIS Train 
and Equip Fund'' that provides for the use of funds for certain 
purposes, compliance with vetting standards, management of 
contributions, the submission of certain reports, and making 
certain funds unavailable until a report is submitted.
    Language is included that limits the use of funds for 
official representation purposes under the heading ``United 
States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.''
    Language is included that limits funds credited or 
transferred under the heading ``Department of Defense 
Acquisition Workforce Development Account.''
    Language is included that provides for specific 
construction, acquisition, or conversion of vessels under the 
heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy.''
    Language is included that provides for the incurring of 
additional obligations for certain activities under the heading 
``Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy.''
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds 
provided under the heading ``Shipbuilding and Conversion, 
Navy'' for the construction of any naval vessel, or the 
construction of major components for the construction or 
conversion of any naval vessel, in foreign facilities or 
shipyards.
    Language is included under the heading ``National Guard and 
Reserve Equipment Account'' providing for the procurement of 
certain items and the submission of modernization priority 
assessments.
    Language is included under the heading ``Research, 
Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy'' that provides funds 
for certain activities related to the V-22.
    Language is included that specifies the use of certain 
funds provided under the heading ``Defense Health Program.''
    Language is included that provides that not less than 
$12,000,000 of funds provided under the heading ``Defense 
Health Program'' shall be available for HIV prevention 
educational activities.
    Language is included under the heading ``Defense Health 
Program'' that provides that not less than $1,154,000,000 shall 
be made available to the Defense Health Agency to carry out 
congressionally directed medical research programs.
    Language is included that specifies the use of certain 
funds provided under the heading ``Chemical Agents and 
Munitions Destruction, Defense.''
    Language is included that specifies the use of certain 
funds provided under the heading ``Drug Interdiction and 
Counter-Drug Activities, Defense.''
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds for 
publicity or propaganda purposes not authorized by Congress.
    Language is included that provides for conditions and 
limitations on the payment of compensation to, or employment 
of, foreign nationals.
    Language is included that limits the availability of funds.
    Language is included that limits the obligation of funds 
during the last two months of the fiscal year.
    Language is included that provides general transfer 
authority of funds to other military functions.
    Language is included that provides that the tables titled 
``Explanation of Project Level Adjustments'' shall be carried 
out in the manner provided by the tables to the same extent as 
if the tables were included in the text of this Act.
    Language is included that provides for the establishment of 
a baseline for application of reprogramming and transfer 
authorities for the current fiscal year.
    Language is included that provides for limitations on the 
use of transfer authority of working capital fund cash 
balances.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
initiate a special access program without prior notification to 
the congressional defense committees.
    Language is included that provides limitations and 
conditions on the use of funds to initiate multiyear 
procurement contracts.
    Language is included that provides for the use of funds for 
humanitarian and civic assistance costs.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
influence congressional action on any matters pending before 
the Congress.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
reduce the number of strategic delivery vehicles and launchers.
    Language is included that provides for the transfer of 
funds for the Department of Defense Pilot Mentor-Protege 
Program.
    Language is included that provides for the Department of 
Defense to purchase anchor and mooring chains manufactured only 
in the United States.
    Language is included that prohibits funds for any non-
appropriated activity of the Department of Defense that 
procures malt beverages and wine except under certain 
conditions.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
demilitarize or dispose of certain surplus firearms and small 
arms ammunition or ammunition components.
    Language is included that provides a limitation on funds 
being used for the relocation of any Department of Defense 
entity into or within the National Capital Region.
    Language is included that provides for incentive payments 
authorized by section 504 of the Indian Financing Act of 1974 
(25 U.S.C. 1544).
    Language is included that provides for the conveyance, 
without consideration, of relocatable housing units that are 
excess to the needs of the Air Force.
    Language is included that provides funds for the mitigation 
of environmental impacts on Indian lands resulting from 
Department of Defense activities.
    Language is included that prohibits funds for the Defense 
Media Activity from being used for national or international 
political or psychological activities.
    Language is included that has been amended and provides 
funding for the Civil Air Patrol Corporation.
    Language is included that prohibits funds from being used 
to establish new Department of Defense Federally Funded 
Research and Development Centers.
    Language is included that defines the congressional defense 
committees.
    Language is included that defines the congressional 
intelligence committees.
    Language is included that provides for competitions between 
private firms and Department of Defense depot maintenance 
activities.
    Language is included that requires the Department of 
Defense to comply with the Buy American Act.
    Language is included that provides for the Department of 
Defense to procure carbon, alloy, or armor steel plate melted 
and rolled only in the United States and Canada.
    Language is included that provides for the revocation of 
blanket waivers of the Buy American Act.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds for 
the procurement of ball and roller bearings other than those 
produced by a domestic source and of domestic origin.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
purchase supercomputers which are not manufactured in the 
United States.
    Language is included that provides a waiver of Buy American 
provisions for certain cooperative programs.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds for 
the purchase or manufacture of a United States flag unless such 
flags are treated as covered items under section 4862(b) of 
title 10 United States Code.
    Language is included that provides for the availability of 
funds contained in the Department of Defense Overseas Military 
Facility Investment Recovery Account.
    Language is included that provides authority to use 
operation and maintenance appropriations to purchase items 
having an investment item unit cost of not more than $350,000.
    Language is included that has been amended and provides 
authority to use operation and maintenance appropriations for 
the Asia Pacific Regional Initiative Program.
    Language is included that prohibits the sale of tobacco 
products in military resale outlets below the most competitive 
price in the local community.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of Working 
Capital Funds to purchase specified investment items.
    Language is included that provides limitations on the 
availability of funds appropriated for the Central Intelligence 
Agency.
    Language is included that places limitations on the use of 
funds made available in this Act to establish field operating 
agencies.
    Language is included that places restrictions on converting 
to contractor performance an activity or function of the 
Department of Defense unless it meets certain guidelines.
    Language is included that provides for the rescission of 
$643,687,000.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
reduce authorized positions for military technicians (dual 
status) of the Army National Guard, Air National Guard, Army 
Reserve, and Air Force Reserve unless such reductions are a 
direct result of a reduction in military force structure.
    Language is included that prohibits funds for assistance to 
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea unless specifically 
appropriated for that purpose.
    Language is included that provides for reimbursement to the 
National Guard and reserve when members of the National Guard 
and reserve provide intelligence or counterintelligence support 
to the combatant commands, defense agencies, and joint 
intelligence activities.
    Language is included that prohibits the transfer of 
Department of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency drug 
interdiction and counter-drug activities funds to other 
agencies except as specifically provided in an appropriations 
law.
    Language is included that provides funding for Red Cross 
and United Services Organization grants.
    Language is included that provides funds for the Small 
Business Innovation Research program and the Small Business 
Technology Transfer program.
    Language is included that prohibits funds for contractor 
bonuses being paid due to business restructuring.
    Language is included that provides transfer authority for 
the pay of military personnel in connection with support and 
services for eligible organizations and activities outside the 
Department of Defense.
    Language is included that provides conditions for the use 
of equipment of the National Guard Distance Learning Project on 
a space-available, reimbursable basis.
    Language is included that prohibits funds to retire C-40 
aircraft, with certain exceptions.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
procure end-items for delivery to military forces for 
operational training, operational use or inventory 
requirements.
    Language is included that prohibits funds for repairs or 
maintenance to military family housing units.
    Language is included that provides obligation authority for 
new starts for defense innovation acceleration or rapid 
prototyping program only after notification to the 
congressional defense committees.
    Language is included that requires a classified quarterly 
report on certain matters as directed in the classified annex 
accompanying this Act.
    Language is included that provides for the use of National 
Guard personnel to support ground-based elements of the 
National Ballistic Missile Defense System.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
transfer certain ammunition.
    Language is included that provides for a waiver by the 
Chief of the National Guard Bureau or his designee for all or 
part of consideration in cases of personal property leases of 
less than one year.
    Language is included that provides for the transfer of 
funds made available in this Act under Operation and 
Maintenance, Army to other activities of the federal government 
for classified purposes.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
separate, or to consolidate from within, the National 
Intelligence Program budget from the Department of Defense 
budget.
    Language is included that provides the authority to 
transfer funding from operation and maintenance accounts for 
the Army, Navy, and Air Force to the central fund for Fisher 
Houses and Suites.
    Language is included that provides grant authority 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.
    Language is included that provides for the authority to 
transfer funding made available in this Act under Operation and 
Maintenance, Navy to the John C. Stennis Center for Public 
Service Development Trust Fund.
    Language is included that prohibits the modification of 
command and control relationships to give Fleet Forces Command 
operational and administrative control of United States Navy 
forces assigned to the Pacific fleet.
    Language is included that requires notification for the 
rapid acquisition and deployment of supplies and associated 
support services.
    Language is included that provides funding and transfer 
authority for the Israeli Cooperative Programs.
    Language is included that provides for the funding of prior 
year shipbuilding cost increases.
    Language is included that provides authorization for funds 
for intelligence and intelligence related activities until the 
enactment of an Intelligence Authorization Act.
    Language is included that prohibits funds to initiate a new 
start program without prior written notification.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds for 
the research, development, test, evaluation, procurement, or 
deployment of nuclear armed interceptors of a missile defense 
system.
    Language is included that has been amended and prohibits 
funds for the decommissioning of certain ships.
    Language is included that provides limitations on the 
Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy appropriation.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
reduce or disestablish the operation of the 53rd Weather 
Reconnaissance Squadron of the Air Force Reserve.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds from 
being used to transfer program authority relating to current 
tactical unmanned aerial vehicles from the Army and requires 
the Army to retain responsibility for and operational control 
of the MQ-1C Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.
    Language is included that prohibits funds for the 
integration of foreign intelligence information unless the 
information has been lawfully collected and processed during 
conduct of authorized foreign intelligence activities.
    Language is included that limits the availability of 
funding provided for the Office of the Director of National 
Intelligence beyond the current fiscal year, except for funds 
appropriated for research and technology.
    Language is included that provides for the establishment of 
a baseline for application of reprogramming and transfer 
authorities for the Office of the Director of National 
Intelligence for the current fiscal year.
    Language is included that provides for limitations on 
funding provided for the National Intelligence Program to be 
available for obligation or expenditure through a reprogramming 
or transfer of funds in accordance with the National Security 
Act of 1947.
    Language is included that provides the Director of National 
Intelligence with general transfer authority, with certain 
limitations.
    Language is included that places limitations on the 
reprogramming of funds from the Department of Defense 
Acquisition Workforce Development Account.
    Language is included that prohibits funds for federal 
contracts in excess of $1,000,000 unless the contractor meets 
certain conditions.
    Language is included that provides funds for transfer to 
the Joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs 
Medical Facility Demonstration Fund.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds in 
contravention of the provisions of section 130h of title 10, 
United States Code.
    Language is included that provides 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.
    Language is included that authorizes the use of funds in 
the Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy account to purchase two 
used auxiliary vessels for the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
    Language is included that provides that any agency 
receiving funds made available in this Act shall post on a 
public website any report required to be submitted to Congress 
with certain exceptions.
    Language is included that directs the Secretary of Defense 
to post grant awards on a public website in a searchable 
format.
    Language is included that Section 8090 prohibits the use of 
funds by the National Security Agency for targeting United 
States persons under authorities granted in the Foreign 
Intelligence Surveillance Act.
    Language is included that places restrictions on transfer 
amounts available to pay salaries for non-Department of Defense 
personnel.
    Language is included that has been amended and provides 
that operation and maintenance funds may be used for any 
purposes related to the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
award a new TAO Fleet Oiler or FFG Frigate program contract for 
the acquisition of certain components unless those components 
are manufactured in the United States.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds for 
the development and design of certain future naval ships unless 
any contract specifies that all hull, mechanical, and 
electrical components are manufactured in the United States.
    Language is included that prohibits certain transfers from 
the Department of Defense Acquisition Workforce Development 
Account.
    Language is included that provides for the procurement of 
certain vehicles in the United States Central Command area, 
with limitations.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds for 
gaming or entertainment that involves nude entertainers.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds for 
information technology systems that do not have pornographic 
content filters.
    Language is included that places restrictions on the use of 
funding for military parades.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
enter into a contract or provide a loan to any corporation that 
has any unpaid Federal tax liability.
    Language is included that provides funds for certain 
software pilot programs.
    Language is included that prohibits the transfer of the 
National Reconnaissance Office to the Space Force.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds in 
contravention of the United Nations Convention Against Torture.
    Language is included that provides security assistance for 
Ukraine.
    Language is included that prohibits funds to the Azov 
Battalion.
    Language is included that provides for the obligation of 
funds in anticipation of receipt of contributions from the 
Government of Kuwait.
    Language is included that provides funding for 
International Security Cooperation Programs.
    Language is included that provides funding to reimburse 
certain countries for border security.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds in 
contravention of the War Powers Resolution.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds in 
violation of the Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008.
    Language is included that prohibits funds for any member of 
the Taliban.
    Language is included that provides that certain support to 
friendly foreign countries be made in accordance with section 
8005 of this Act.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
enter into a contract with Rosoboronexport.
    Language is included that provides funding to reimburse key 
cooperating nations for logistical, military, and other 
support.
    Language is included that requires notification of the 
receipt of contributions from foreign governments and 
notification prior to obligating such funds.
    Language is included that requires the Chairman of the 
Joint Chiefs to report on any unplanned activity or exercise.
    Language is included that requires notification if a 
foreign base is opened or closed.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds with 
respect to Iraq in contravention of the War Powers Resolution.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds with 
respect to Syria in contravention of the War Powers Resolution.
    Language is included that prohibits funds to establish 
permanent bases in Iraq or Afghanistan or United States control 
over Iraq or Syria oil resources.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds under 
certain headings to procure or transfer manportable air defense 
systems.
    Language is included that provides security assistance to 
Jordan.
    Language is included that requires the United States 
Southern Command to assume combatant command responsibility for 
activities related to Mexico.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
transfer, release, or assist in the transfer or release to or 
within the United States of certain detainees.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds 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 or any other foreign country.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
construct, acquire, or modify any facility in the United States 
to house any individual detained at United States Naval Station 
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
carry out the closure of the United States Naval Station 
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
    Language is included that has been amended and reflects 
savings due to favorable foreign exchange rates.
    Language is included that provides guidance on the 
implementation of the Policy for Assisted Reproductive Services 
for the Benefit of Seriously or Severely Ill/Injured Active 
Duty Service Members.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
support the Wuhan Institute of Virology, or any laboratory 
owned or controlled by the governments of foreign adversaries.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds for 
any work to be performed by EcoHealth Alliance, Inc. in China 
on research supported by the Government of the People's 
Republic of China.
    Language is included that requires the Secretary of the 
Navy to provide pay and allowances to Lieutenant Ridge Alkonis.
    Language is included that provides the authority for the 
Secretary of Defense to obligate funds to modify up to six F-35 
aircraft to a test configuration.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
integrate an alternative engine on any F-35 aircraft.
    Language is included that provides the authority to be used 
to enter into a contract for the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter 
program.
    Language is included that directs the Secretary of Defense 
to allocate amounts made available from the Creating Helpful 
Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America 
Defense Fund.
    Language is included that enables the Office of Strategic 
Capital to use appropriated funds for loans and loan 
guarantees.
    Language is included that provides funds to increase pay 
for certain enlisted grades.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
release certain information regarding a current or former 
member of the Armed Forces without their consent except in 
cases of law enforcement or Freedom of Information Act 
requests.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of certain 
funds for United States Space Command until such time as the 
Secretary of the Air Force formally selects and publicly 
announces the permanent location of the United States Space 
Command Headquarters.
    Language is included that prohibits funds to carry out 
section 554(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283).
    Language is included that prohibits funds to implement, 
administer, apply, enforce, or carry out measures relating to 
the Department of Defense diversity, equity, inclusion, and 
accessibility strategy, certain executive orders, and execute 
activities that promote or perpetuate divisive concepts related 
to race or sex.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
perform surgical procedures or hormone therapies for the 
purposes of gender affirming care.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
promote, host, facilitate, or support a drag queen story hour 
for children on United States military installations or for 
military recruiting programs that feature drag queens.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
recruit, hire, or promote any person who has been convicted of 
charges related to child pornography or other sexual 
misconduct.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds for 
paid leave and travel or related expenses of a federal employee 
or their dependents for the purposes of obtaining an abortion 
or abortion-related services.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
finalize, implement, or promulgate the rule proposed by the 
Department of Defense on November 14, 2022 titled ``Federal 
Acquisition Regulation: Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions 
and Climate-Related Financial Risk.''
    Language is included that prohibits funds to carry out any 
program, project, or activity that promotes or advances 
Critical Race Theory or any concept associated with Critical 
Race Theory.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
label communications by United States persons as 
misinformation, disinformation, or malinformation or to partner 
with or fund nonprofits or other organizations that pressure 
private companies to censor lawful and constitutionally 
protected speech.
    Language is included that prohibits the use of funds to 
grant, renew, or maintain a security clearance for any 
individual listed as a signatory in the statement titled 
``Public Statement on the Hunter Biden Emails'' dated October 
19, 2020.
    Language is included that prohibits funds to take any 
discriminatory action against a person, wholly or partially, on 
the basis that such person speaks, or acts, in accordance with 
a sincerely held religious belief, or moral conviction, that 
marriage is, or should be recognized as, a union of one man and 
one woman.
    Language is included that prohibits funding to fly or 
display flags other than those specified in this section.
    Language is included that directs the Secretary of Defense 
to submit a report on excessive contractor payments.
    Language is included that establishes a spending reduction 
account.


                 COMPARISON WITH THE BUDGET RESOLUTION

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives and section 308(a)(1)(A) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the following table compares 
the levels of new budget authority provided in the bill with 
the appropriate allocation under section 302(b) of the Budget 
Act.

                                            [In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         302(b) Allocation                   This Bill
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Budget                          Budget
                                                     Authority        Outlays        Authority        Outlays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comparison of amounts in the bill with Committee
 allocations to its subcommittees: Subcommittee
 on Defense
Discretionary...................................         826,448         790,121         826,448      \1\790,129
Mandatory.......................................             514             514             514          \1\514
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority.

                      FIVE-YEAR OUTLAY PROJECTIONS

    In compliance with section 308(a)(1)(B) of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the following table contains 
five-year projections associated with the budget authority 
provided in the accompanying bill.

                        [In millions of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Outlays
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Projection of outlays associated with the recommendation:
    2024...................................................   \1\481,585
    2025...................................................      203,546
    2026...................................................       63,019
    2027...................................................       25,999
    2028 and future years..................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.

          FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII and section 
308(a)(1)(C) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the 
Congressional Budget Office has provided the following 
estimates of new budget authority and outlays provided by the 
accompanying bill for financial assistance to State and local 
governments.

                        [In millions of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Budget
                                                 Authority     Outlays
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Financial assistance to State and local                   0           10
 governments for 2024.........................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority.

                           COMMITTEE HEARINGS

    For the purposes of clause 3(c)(6) of rule XIII--
    The following hearings were used to develop or consider the 
Department of Defense Appropriations Bill, 2024:
    The Subcommittee on Defense held an oversight hearing on 
February 28, 2023, entitled ``Ukraine Oversight.'' The 
Subcommittee received testimony from:
    The Honorable Celeste Wallander, Assistant Secretary of 
Defense for International Security Affairs
    Lieutenant General Douglas Sims, Director of Operations (J-
3), Joint Staff
    The Subcommittee on Defense held an oversight hearing on 
March 9, 2023, entitled ``Fiscal Year 2024 Member Day.'' The 
Subcommittee received testimony from:
    The Honorable James McGovern, Member of Congress
    The Honorable Susie Lee, Member of Congress
    The Subcommittee on Defense held an oversight hearing on 
March 23, 2023, entitled ``Budget Hearing--Fiscal Year 2024 
Request for the Department of Defense.'' The Subcommittee 
received testimony from:
    The Honorable Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of Defense
    General Mark A. Milley, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
    The Honorable Michael J. McCord, Undersecretary of Defense 
(Comptroller)/ Chief Financial Officer
    The Subcommittee on Defense held an oversight hearing on 
March 28, 2023, entitled ``Budget Hearing--Fiscal Year 2024 
Request for the United States Air Force and Space Force.'' The 
Subcommittee received testimony from:
    The Honorable Frank Kendall, Secretary of the Air Force
    General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., Chief of Staff of the Air 
Force
    General B. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, U.S. 
Space Force
    The Subcommittee on Defense held an oversight hearing on 
March 28, 2023, entitled ``Budget Hearing--Fiscal Year 2024 
Request for the United States Army.'' The Subcommittee received 
testimony from:
    The Honorable Christine Wormuth, Secretary of the Army
    General James C. McConville, Chief of Staff of the Army
    The Subcommittee on Defense held an oversight hearing on 
March 29, 2023, entitled ``Budget Hearing--Fiscal Year 2024 
Request for the United States Navy and Marine Corps.'' The 
Subcommittee received testimony from:
    The Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy
    Admiral Michael M. Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations
    General David H. Berger, Commandant of the Marine Corps

          Compliance With Rule XIII, Cl. 3(e) (Ramseyer Rule)

    In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, the Committee notes that the 
accompanying bill does not propose to repeal or amend a statute 
or part thereof.



                             MINORITY VIEWS

    With this bill, the Committee has carried out its 
Constitutional responsibility to recommend the appropriations 
necessary to provide for the common defense of our Nation. The 
Committee did this in a bipartisan fashion consistent with its 
long-standing traditions.
    The bill provides $826,448,000,000 in new discretionary 
funding for fiscal year 2024 covering all Department of Defense 
(DoD) entities and Intelligence Community functions with the 
exception of Military Construction and Family Housing programs. 
This is $285,867,000 above the President's budget request and 
$28.8 billion above the fiscal year 2023 enacted level.
    We are pleased that the majority is funding the bill close 
to the Administration's request. Unfortunately, at this moment, 
we are not optimistic that this bill will be enacted by the 
majority by the beginning of the fiscal year as the bill 
includes policy provisions that are offensive to many 
Americans. We believe these provisions will have a detrimental 
impact on the readiness of the current and future force.
    First, the proposed bill limits the reproductive healthcare 
needs of women associated with the Department of Defense, to 
include Service personnel, civilians, wives and daughters. On 
October 20, 2022, the Secretary of Defense released a 
memorandum to ensure that Service personnel would have the 
ability to obtain necessary reproductive health care no matter 
where they are stationed.
    According to a RAND study published in September 2022, 40 
percent of active duty female troops live in states with 
abortion bans or restrictions; this number increases to 43 
percent for civilian women employed by DoD. Clearly, women are 
an essential part of the military force, almost 20 percent of 
the entire force and one third of the civilian workforce. 
Needless to say, our military force would not be able to 
function without the work these women provide.
    With the numbers of recruitment falling for the past two 
years, decisions to limit the ability of Department personnel 
to obtain the healthcare they need will deter highly qualified 
personnel from enlisting and ultimately could harm the future 
of the force and impact retention levels among current Service 
personnel.
    Second, the proposed bill bans funding for Diversity, 
Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) programs and 
personnel. DEIA programs ensure that the Department of Defense 
can attract, develop and retain a workforce that reflects 
America's diversity and will be able to ensure mission 
readiness. It is a callous view to cut them. We should be 
trying to attract all that want to serve the nation and give 
them the opportunity to do so.
    Third, the bill includes three general provisions that are 
highly offensive to the LGBTQ+ community. These provisions 
serve no purpose other than to alienate and stoke culture wars. 
They do not reflect the premise of our nation--``E pluribus 
unum''--out of many, one. Out of many volunteers--one strong 
force.
    Fourth, the bill cuts $1.1 billion for funding for civilian 
employees. We believe this is a misguided effort to cut costs 
in the Department. Unfortunately, past attempts to achieve the 
same goals have been unable to show any savings and merely 
shift the work to others--such as military personnel or 
expensive contractors.
    Fifth, the bill cuts $714 million for climate change 
programs to be administered by the Department of Defense. At a 
congressional hearing this year, General Milley stated that 
``climate change is going to impact natural resources, for 
example, it's going to impact increased instability in various 
parts of the world. It's going to impact migrations and so 
on.''
    The preponderance of the funds requested for the bill are 
for adapting military facilities to withstand the increasingly 
challenging weather conditions and for advanced technologies to 
strengthen the ability to rapidly recover from disruptions to 
public infrastructure and for improving installation 
resilience. These are funds that provide the Services with the 
ability to remain at the ready and not be hampered by the 
vagaries of the weather; without them, they will continue to be 
at the mercy of the elements.
    The minority introduced amendments to strike each of these 
divisive provisions. Although we were not successful in 
removing them, we will work in conference to ensure they are 
not enacted into law.
    Finally, the majority is implementing a slate of 302(b) 
allocations that are below the agreed levels in the Fiscal 
Responsibility Act of 2023. We believe the cuts to the non-
defense bills will only inhibit the Department of Defense's 
ability to recruit young men and women into the military at a 
time when recruitment rates have fallen precipitously. In 
addition to appropriate levels for defense, we need equitable 
funding for programs in education, housing, and healthcare. 
These are the tools that create able bodied young men and women 
to populate the military. Equality between the defense and non-
defense bills is the only way to meet all of our national 
security needs.
    In closing, despite our deep concerns with the bill, we 
look forward to working with the majority on completing this 
task before us as earlier as possible. Both sides strongly 
support the work of our men and women both in military and 
civilian posts, which ensures the security of our Nation.
                                   Rosa DeLauro.
                                   Betty McCollum.