- Record: Senate Floor
- Section type: Amendments
- Chamber: Senate
- Date: June 17, 2026
- Congress: 119th Congress
- Why this source matters: This section came from the Senate floor portion of the record.
SA 5830. Mr. RICKETTS (for himself and Mrs. Fischer) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 5823 proposed by Mr. Thune (for Mr. Scott of South Carolina (for himself and Ms. Warren)) to the bill H.R. 6644, a bill to increase the supply of housing in America, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
In section 1001(a)(5) of the amendment, strike
subparagraph (B) and insert the following:
(B) does not include—
(i) a manufactured home, as defined in section 603 of the
National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety
Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5402); or
(ii) a home acquired pursuant to an employer-sponsored home
sale relocation program whereby an employer, either directly
or via a third-party relocation-related entity, temporarily
acquires and sells a residential home solely to facilitate an
employment-related move and not as an investment strategy and
subsequently sells the home within 365 days of its
acquisition date.
SA 5831. Mr. SCOTT of Florida submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 5823 proposed by Mr. Thune (for Mr. Scott of South Carolina (for himself and Ms. Warren)) to the bill H.R. 6644, a bill to increase the supply of housing in America, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of title VIII, add the following:
SEC. 806. ADDITIONAL REPORTS.
(a) Annual Report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for not less
than 10 years, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
shall issue a report that measures and tracks the
affordability of housing in the United States, which shall
include comprehensive analysis on housing affordability for
middle income homeowners, using the metric of annual housing
costs as not more than 30 percent of gross income for the
definition of affordability.
(b) GAO Report on Outcomes.—Not later than 2 years after
the date of enactment of this Act, and again not later than 5
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall issue a report
on the outcomes of this Act and the amendments made by this
Act, including how this Act—
(1) affected housing supply outcomes in the period covered
by the report, including whether—
(A) the Act directly increased the production of single-
family housing units;
(B) permit issuance rates materially different; and
(C) approval times for new privately-owned residential
construction permits changed;
(2) affected affordability and the housing market during
the period covered by the report, including—
(A) a decomposition of the drivers of homeownership
affordability that were directly affected by this Act;
(B) whether median home prices decreased, and if so, by how
much;
(C) whether the Act directly caused an increase in
construction of single-family homes;
(D) any house price to income ratio changes that can be
directly attributed to the Act; and
(E) whether homeownership of single-family homes became
more attainable after the enactment of the Act as compared to
before the enactment of the Act; and
(3) affected Federal expenditures, including—
(A) the total Federal outlays under each title of the Act
during the period covered by the report;
(B) whether expenditures were duplicative of existing
programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban
Development, the Department of Agriculture, or the Federal
Housing Finance Agency; and
(C) whether the Act increased Federal outlays or increased
the Federal deficit during the period covered by the report.
SA 5832. Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Kim, and Mr. Daines) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. . CREDIT MONITORING.
(a) In General.—The Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C.
1681 et seq.) is amended—
(1) in section 605A(k) (15 U.S.C. 1681c-1(k))—
(A) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
“(1) Definitions.—In this subsection:
“(A) Armed forces.—The term `armed forces' has the
meaning given the term in section 101(a) of title 10, United
States Code.
“(B) Armed forces member consumer.—The term `armed forces
member consumer' means a consumer who, regardless of duty
status, is a member of the armed forces.”; and
(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking “active duty military
consumer” and inserting “armed forces member consumer”;
and
(2) in section 625(b)(1)(K) (15 U.S.C. 1681t(b)(1)(K)), by
striking “active duty military consumers” and inserting
“armed forces member consumers”.
(b) Effective Date.—The amendments made by subsection (a)
shall take effect on
the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this
Act.
SA 5833. Ms. ROSEN (for herself, Ms. Cortez Masto, and Mrs. Blackburn) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in title X, insert the following:
Subtitle —Veterans Exposed to Toxic Substances
SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the “Sergeant Dave Crete
Fighting for the Overlooked Recognition of Groups Operating
in Toxic Test Environments in Nevada Veterans Act of 2026”
or the “Sergeant Dave Crete FORGOTTEN Veterans Act of
2026”.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this subtitle:
(1) Active military, naval, air, or space service.—The
term “active military, naval, air, or space service” has
the meaning given that term in section 101(24) of title 38,
United States Code.
(2) Covered location.—The term “covered location”
means—
(A) any facility on the most recent list of facilities
covered under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness
Compensation Program Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 7384 et seq.)
published in the Federal Register by the Department of
Energy; or
(B) with respect to service on or after January 27, 1951,
any location within the Nevada Test and Training Range or the
Nevada National Security Site (as defined on May 19, 2026).
(3) Toxic exposure.—The term “toxic exposure” has the
meaning given that term in section 101(37) of title 38,
United States Code.
SEC. 3. COORDINATION WITH DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO
IDENTIFY VETERANS WHO PERFORMED MILITARY
SERVICE AT COVERED LOCATIONS.
(a) In General.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in
coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall establish
and carry out a process to identify veterans who served at a
covered location and may have encountered toxic exposure
during active military, naval, air, or space service.
(b) Use of Available Information.—In carrying out
subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall use—
(1) military personnel and deployment records maintained by
the Department of Defense; and
(2) information provided by veterans through the registry
established under section 7.
(c) No Affirmative Evidence Required.—The Secretary of
Veterans Affairs may not require a veteran to provide
affirmative evidence of exposure to a specific toxic
substance if service at a covered location is established.
SEC. 4. TREATMENT AS RADIATION-RISK ACTIVITIES BY
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
Section 1112(c)(3)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new clause:
“(viii) Active military, naval, air, or space service, or
onsite participation in any aspect of the development,
construction, operation, or maintenance of a military
installation (as defined in section 2801 of title 10), within
the area that comprises the Nevada Test and Training Range
and the Nevada National Security Site, as defined on May 19,
2026, during the period beginning on January 27, 1951, and
ending on the date which the Secretary of Defense, with
independent verification, certifies that the area that
comprises the Nevada Test and Training Range and the Nevada
National Security Site no longer pose radiation risk to
personnel present, or enactment of the Sergeant Dave Crete
Fighting for the Overlooked Recognition of Groups Operating
in Toxic Test Environments in Nevada Veterans Act of 2026,
whichever is later.”.
SEC. 5. PRESUMPTION OF TOXIC EXPOSURE FOR VETERANS WHO
SERVED AT COVERED LOCATIONS AND PRESUMPTION OF
SERVICE CONNECTION FOR CERTAIN DISEASES.
Section 1119(c)(1) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended—
(1) in subparagraph (A)(viii), by striking “; or” and
inserting a semicolon;
(2) in subparagraph (B)(ix), by striking the period at the
end and inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs:
“(C) at any time, performed active military, naval, air,
or space service while assigned to a duty station in,
including airspace above, any facility on the most recent
list of facilities covered under the Energy Employees
Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (42
U.S.C. 7384 et seq.) published in the Federal Register by the
Department of Energy; or
“(D) on or after January 27, 1951, performed active
military, naval, air, or space service while assigned to a
duty station in, including airspace above, any location
within the area that comprises the Nevada Test and Training
Range and the Nevada National Security Site, as defined on
May 19, 2026.”.
SEC. 6. STUDY ON TOXIC EXPOSURES AT COVERED LOCATIONS.
(a) In General.—Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall seek to
enter into an agreement with the Department of Health and
Human Services or another appropriate scientific organization
to study potential toxic exposures and environmental hazards
at covered locations.
(b) Study.—The study required under subsection (a) shall—
(1) identify exposures associated with military occupations
of veterans who served at covered locations, including
exposures relating to chemicals, compounds, agents, and other
phenomena; and
(2) review the literature to determine associations between
such exposures and the incidence or prevalence of overall
cancer morbidity and overall cancer mortality, and determine,
to the extent possible, the prevalence and mortality of
cancers among such veterans by using available sources of
data, which may include—
(A) health care and other administrative databases of the
Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense,
and the military departments, respectively; and
(B) the national death index maintained by the National
Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
(c) Transfer Authority.—Amounts authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Defense to carry out the
study required under subsection (a) may be transferred
without regard to section 2215 of title 10, United States
Code, to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to pay
for the study.
(d) Report.—At the conclusion of the study required under
subsection (a), the Department of Health and Human Services
or other appropriate scientific organization, as the case may
be, shall submit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate, the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives, the
President of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,
and Medicine, and the Chair of the National Research Council
a report containing the results of the study.
SEC. 7. ESTABLISHMENT OF COVERED LOCATION VETERAN
REGISTRY.
(a) Establishment.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
establish and maintain a registry of veterans who served at
covered locations who may have encountered toxic exposure
during active military, naval, air, or space service (in this
section referred to as the “registry”).
(b) Purposes.—The registry shall be used to—
(1) collect, process, maintain, and consolidate
epidemiological information required to analyze incidence of
adverse health effects among veterans who served in covered
locations;
(2) facilitate coordination between the Department of
Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to verify
service;
(3) inform veterans of available health care, benefits, and
screenings; and
(4) support outreach, research, and claims adjudication
related to toxic exposure.
(c) Opt-out and Recruitment.—
(1) Opt-out.—Participants must have the opportunity to
opt-out of inclusion in the registry.
(2) Recruitment.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
recruit veterans described in subsection (a) who are not
represented in data sources of the Department of Defense or
the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(d) Data-sharing.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
share information collected through the registry with the
Secretary of Defense, consistent with applicable privacy and
security laws, for purposes of identifying affected veterans
and improving care and benefits delivery.
SEC. 8. CLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN FACILITIES AS LOCATIONS
WHERE CONTAMINATION OCCURRED AND MEMBERS OF THE
ARMED FORCES WERE EXPOSED TO TOXIC SUBSTANCES.
(a) In General.—The Secretary of Defense shall classify
the following locations as a location where contamination
occurred:
(1) On and after January 27, 1951, the Nevada Test and
Training Range, including the Nevada National Security Site
(as such site is defined on May 19, 2026).
(2) Any facility on the most recent list of facilities
covered under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness
Compensation Program Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 7384 et seq.)
published in the Federal Register by the Secretary of Energy.
(b) Identification Process.—
(1) In general.—The Secretary of Defense shall establish a
process to identify members of the Armed Forces and former
members of the Armed Forces that were stationed at a facility
specified in subsection (a).
(2) Documentation.—The Secretary of Defense shall
establish a process to permit members of the Armed Forces and
former members of the Armed Forces to provide documentation
or evidence of their assignment at a facility specified in
subsection (a) to assist the Secretary in identifying those
members and former members under paragraph (1).
(3) Efforts.—The Secretary of Defense shall make all
efforts to identify individuals
described in paragraph (1) and shall not require members of
the Armed Forces or former members of the Armed Forces to
submit evidence of their stationing.
(c) Sharing of Information.—The Secretary of Defense shall
share with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs all information
and documentation gathered under subsection (b) in order to
provide the Secretary of Veterans Affairs with adequate
documentation of the service of members of the Armed Forces
and former members of the Armed Forces at facilities
specified in subsection (a) and any injuries, exposures, or
illnesses related to such service, for the purpose of
establishing any claim for benefits under the laws
administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to which
such members and former members are legally entitled.
SA 5834. Ms. ROSEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in title VII, insert the
following:
SEC. 7__. AUTHORIZATION FOR VIRTUAL FOLLOW-UP SPECIALTY CARE
UNDER TRICARE PRIME ACROSS STATE LINES.
Section 1094(d) of title 10, United States Code, is
amended—
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking “or (4)” and inserting
“(4), or (5)”; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(5) A health-care professional referred to in paragraph
(1) as being described in this paragraph is a health-care
professional who—
“(A) has provided specialty care to a patient under
TRICARE Prime in-person; and
“(B) is providing virtual follow-up specialty care under
TRICARE Prime to the patient while the patient is located in
an isolated location, as determined by the Secretary of
Defense.”.
SA 5835. Ms. ROSEN (for herself and Mr. Cramer) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle C of title V, add the following:
SEC. 529E. COMBAT STATUS IDENTIFIER EQUIVALENT FOR REMOTELY
PILOTED AIRCRAFT CREW.
(a) In General.—Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretaries of the military
departments, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, shall establish a status identifier or equivalent
recognition to denote the combat participation of remotely
piloted aircraft (RPA) crew members who conduct operations in
direct support of combat missions. The identifier shall be
designed to enable appropriate consideration by the
Department of Veterans Affairs in the administration of
benefits and services that account for combat-related
service, consistent with how traditional combat designators
are treated.
(b) Rule of Construction.—Nothing in this section shall be
construed to require the Department of Defense to categorize
service described in subsection (a) as equivalent to service
involving physical presence in a combat zone.
SA 5836. Ms. ROSEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. . PROTECTION PROVISIONS FOR DEPLOYED SMALL BUSINESS
OWNERS SERVING IN THE RESERVES.
(a) Definitions.—In this section—
(1) the term “active duty” has the meaning given that
term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code;
(2) the terms “credit” and “creditor” have the meanings
given such terms in section 702 of the Equal Credit
Opportunity Act (15 U.S.C. 1691a);
(3) the term “reserve component” means a component
specified in section 10101 of title 10, United States Code;
and
(4) the term “small business concern” has the meaning
given that term under section 3 of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 632).
(b) Waiver.—
(1) In general.—Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, for any Federal economic assistance program for which
the eligibility of a small business concern for the
assistance, or the amount of the assistance to be made
available to a small business concern, is calculated based on
the average monthly or total compensation of the employees,
or the number of employees, of the small business concern
during a specified period, if the small business concern is
owned and controlled by a member of a reserve component who
is deployed for active duty for a period of not less than 30
days during all or a portion of the period during which the
assistance will be used, the calculation of the average
monthly or total compensation of the employees, or the number
of employees, of the small business concern during the
specified period shall include any employee who is employed
by the small business concern—
(A) to fulfill the essential duties and responsibilities of
the owner during the period the owner is on active duty; and
(B) during the period—
(i) beginning 90 days before the date on which the owner
commences serving on active duty; and
(ii) ending 90 days after the date on which the owner
ceases serving on active duty.
(2) Orders.—To be eligible to have the amount of
assistance calculated in accordance with paragraph (1), the
owner of a small business concern shall provide to the
applicable Federal official a copy of the orders directing
the owner to report for active duty for a period of not less
than 30 days.
(c) Preservation of MREIDL Eligibility.—Section 7(b)(3) of
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636(b)(3)) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
“(I) Whether a small business concern is eligible for a
loan under this paragraph shall be determined without regard
to whether the small business concern is eligible for any
other economic assistance, or the amount of any other
economic assistance that has been received by the small
business concern, from the Federal Government.”.
(d) Prohibition on Credit Discrimination.—
(1) In general.—It shall be unlawful for any creditor to
discriminate in the terms or conditions of credit offered or
provided to any small business concern owned by a member of a
reserve component due to a military deployment or any
temporary effects of a military deployment.
(2) Enforcement.—A violation of this subsection shall be
treated as a violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act
(15 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.).
SA 5837. Ms. ROSEN (for herself, Ms. Cortez Masto, and Mrs. Blackburn) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in title X, insert the following:
Subtitle __—Veterans Exposed to Toxic Substances
SEC. . DEFINITIONS.
In this subtitle:
(1) Active military, naval, air, or space service.—The
term “active military, naval, air, or space service” has
the meaning given that term in section 101(24) of title 38,
United States Code.
(2) Covered location.—The term “covered location”
means—
(A) any facility on the most recent list of facilities
covered under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness
Compensation Program Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 7384 et seq.)
published in the Federal Register by the Department of
Energy; or
(B) with respect to service on or after January 27, 1951,
any location within the Nevada Test and Training Range or the
Nevada National Security Site (as defined on May 19, 2026).
(3) Toxic exposure.—The term “toxic exposure” has the
meaning given that term in section 101(37) of title 38,
United States Code.
SEC. . COORDINATION WITH DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO IDENTIFY
VETERANS WHO PERFORMED MILITARY SERVICE AT
COVERED LOCATIONS.
(a) In General.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in
coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall establish
and carry out a process to identify veterans who served at a
covered location and may have encountered toxic exposure
during active military, naval, air, or space service.
(b) Use of Available Information.—In carrying out
subsection (a), the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall use—
(1) military personnel and deployment records maintained by
the Department of Defense; and
(2) information provided by veterans through the registry
established under section 7.
(c) No Affirmative Evidence Required.—The Secretary of
Veterans Affairs may not require a veteran to provide
affirmative evidence of exposure to a specific toxic
substance if service at a covered location is established.
SEC. . TREATMENT AS RADIATION-RISK ACTIVITIES BY
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
Section 1112(c)(3)(B) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new clause:
“(viii) Active military, naval, air, or space service, or
onsite participation in any aspect of the development,
construction, operation, or maintenance of a military
installation (as defined in section 2801 of title 10), within
the area that comprises the Nevada Test and Training Range
and the Nevada National Security Site, as defined on May 19,
2026, during the period beginning on January 27, 1951, and
ending on the date which the Secretary of Defense, with
independent verification, certifies that the area that
comprises the Nevada Test and Training Range and the Nevada
National Security Site no longer pose radiation risk to
personnel present, or enactment of this clause, whichever is
later.”.
SEC. . STUDY ON TOXIC EXPOSURES AT COVERED LOCATIONS.
(a) In General.—Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs,
in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, shall seek to
enter into an agreement with the Department of Health and
Human Services or another appropriate scientific organization
to study potential toxic exposures and environmental hazards
at covered locations.
(b) Study.—The study required under subsection (a) shall—
(1) identify exposures associated with military occupations
of veterans who served at covered locations, including
exposures relating to chemicals, compounds, agents, and other
phenomena; and
(2) review the literature to determine associations between
such exposures and the incidence or prevalence of overall
cancer morbidity and overall cancer mortality, and determine,
to the extent possible, the prevalence and mortality of
cancers among such veterans by using available sources of
data, which may include—
(A) health care and other administrative databases of the
Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense,
and the military departments, respectively; and
(B) the national death index maintained by the National
Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
(c) Transfer Authority.—Amounts authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Defense to carry out the
study required under subsection (a) may be transferred
without regard to section 2215 of title 10, United States
Code, to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to pay
for the study.
(d) Report.—At the conclusion of the study required under
subsection (a), the Department of Health and Human Services
or other appropriate scientific organization, as the case may
be, shall submit to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the
Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate, the Committee
on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives, the
President of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,
and Medicine, and the Chair of the National Research Council
a report containing the results of the study.
SEC. . ESTABLISHMENT OF COVERED LOCATION VETERAN REGISTRY.
(a) Establishment.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
establish and maintain a registry of veterans who served at
covered locations who may have encountered toxic exposure
during active military, naval, air, or space service (in this
section referred to as the “registry”).
(b) Purposes.—The registry shall be used to—
(1) collect, process, maintain, and consolidate
epidemiological information required to analyze incidence of
adverse health effects among veterans who served in covered
locations;
(2) facilitate coordination between the Department of
Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to verify
service;
(3) inform veterans of available health care, benefits, and
screenings; and
(4) support outreach, research, and claims adjudication
related to toxic exposure.
(c) Opt-out and Recruitment.—
(1) Opt-out.—Participants must have the opportunity to
opt-out of inclusion in the registry.
(2) Recruitment.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
recruit veterans described in subsection (a) who are not
represented in data sources of the Department of Defense or
the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(d) Data-sharing.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
share information collected through the registry with the
Secretary of Defense, consistent with applicable privacy and
security laws, for purposes of identifying affected veterans
and improving care and benefits delivery.
SA 5838. Mr. PAUL submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 5823 proposed by Mr. Thune (for Mr. Scott of South Carolina (for himself and Ms. Warren)) to the bill H.R. 6644, a bill to increase the supply of housing in America, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
Strike section 1001.
SA 5839. Mr. PAUL submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 5823 proposed by Mr. Thune (for Mr. Scott of South Carolina (for himself and Ms. Warren)) to the bill H.R. 6644, a bill to increase the supply of housing in America, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
Strike section 1001 and insert the following:
SEC. 1001. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.—Congress finds the following:
(1) The Due Process Clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth
Amendments to the Constitution of the United States prohibit
the Federal Government and State governments from depriving
any person of their property without due process of law.
(2) The origin of those clauses can be traced to Chapter 29
of Magna Carta, which was executed by King Henry III in 1225.
(3) For centuries, the Anglo-American commitment to the
rule of law recognized that no person would be deprived of
his right to freely acquire, use, and dispose of property
without a fair trial or just compensation.
(4) Even during the Jim Crow era, in which the state
legalized discrimination, property rights served as an
antidote to government-imposed racism. The 1917 case Buchanan
v. Warley, 245 U.S. 60 (1917), in which the Supreme Court of
the United States unanimously struck down a segregationist
housing restriction, stands for the proposition that property
rights strengthen civil rights.
(5) In Buchanan v. Warley, the Supreme Court found,
“Property is more than the mere thing which a person owns.
It is elementary that it includes the right to acquire, use,
and dispose of it. The Constitution protects these essential
attributes of property.”.
(b) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that
Congress rededicates itself to the concepts of property and
contract rights as inalterable principles of individual
liberty and rejects any attempt to prohibit property owners
from selling homes to investors of any kind, regardless of
the size of the firm.
SA 5840. Mr. MORAN (for himself and Mr. Van Hollen) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. . SAFEGUARDS ACT OF 2026.
(a) Short Title.—This Act may be cited as the “Spending
Aviation Fees for Equipment, Guaranteeing Upgraded and
Advanced Risk Detection and Safety Act of 2026” or the
“SAFEGUARDS Act of 2026”.
(b) Improving the Aviation Security Capital Fund.—Section
44923(h) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read
as follows:
“(h) Aviation Security Capital Fund.—
“(1) In general.—There is established within the
Department of Homeland Security a fund to be known as the
Aviation Security Capital Fund (in this subsection referred
to as the `Fund').
“(2) Source of funding.—
“(A) Fiscal year 2004 through 2025.—In each of fiscal
years 2004 through 2025, the first $250,000,000 derived from
fees received under section 44940(a)(1) shall be available to
be deposited in the Fund in paragraph (1). The Administrator
of the Transportation Security Administration shall impose
the fee authorized by section 44940(a)(1) so as to collect at
least $250,000,000 in each of such fiscal years for deposit
into the Fund.
“(B) Fiscal year 2026 through fiscal year 2036.—In each
of fiscal years 2026 through 2036, the first $400,000,000
derived from fees received under section 44940(a)(1) shall be
available to be deposited in the Fund under paragraph (1).
The Administrator of the Transportation Security
Administration shall impose the fee authorized by section
44940(a)(1) so as to collect at least $400,000,000 in each of
such fiscal years for deposit into the Fund.
“(3) Grant authority.—Amounts in the Fund shall be
available to the Administrator of the Transportation Security
Administration to make grants for projects under subsection
(a).”.
(c) Establishment of the Aviation Security Checkpoint
Technology Fund.—
(1) In general.—Section 44923 of title 49, United States
Code, is amended by—
(A) by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (j); and
(B) by inserting after subsection (h) the following new
subsection (i):
“(i) Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology Fund.—
“(1) In general.—There is established within the
Department of Homeland Security a fund to be known as the
Aviation Security Checkpoint Technology Fund (in this
subsection referred to as the `ASCT Fund').
“(2) Funding.—In each of fiscal years 2026 through 2036,
after the first $400,000,000 is deposited into the Aviation
Security Capital Fund pursuant to subsection (h)(2)(B), the
next $250,000,000 from fees received under section
44940(a)(1) shall be available to be deposited in the ASCT
Fund. The Administrator of
the Transportation Security Administration shall impose the
fee authorized by section 44940(a)(1) so as to collect not
less than $250,000,000 in each of such fiscal years for
deposit into the ASCT Fund. Amounts in the ASCT Fund shall be
available until expended to the Administrator of the
Transportation Security Administration to fund the
procurement, sustainment, and deployment of—
“(A) aviation security checkpoint technology, including
computed tomography scanners, explosives trace detection
equipment, liquid explosive detection systems, advanced
imaging technology, or credential authentication technology
machines; and
“(B) exit lane technology.
“(3) Grant authority.—Amounts in the ASCT Fund shall be
available to the Administrator of the Transportation Security
Administration to make grants under this section.”.
(2) Technical and conforming amendments.—Section 44940(i)
of title 49, United States Code, is amended—
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking “section 44923(h)” and
inserting “subsections (h) and (i) of section 44923”; and
(B) in paragraph (4), by redesignating subparagraphs (M)
and (N) as subparagraphs (I) and (J), respectively.
(d) Reports to Congress.—
(1) Initial report.—Prior to carrying out the use of funds
and disbursements for fiscal year 2026 under subsections (h)
and (i) of section 44923 of title 49, United States Code, the
Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration
shall provide a briefing to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee
on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and
submit to such committees a report that includes—
(A) a detailed description of the use of funds and
disbursements authorized by section 44923(h) of title 49,
United States Code, for fiscal year 2004 through fiscal year
2025, including a detailed description of projects and
capital needs addressed through the Aviation Security Capital
Fund for each airport security category; and
(B) projected aviation security project and capital needs
for each airport security category for fiscal year 2026
through fiscal year 2036.
(2) Annual report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and each fiscal year thereafter,
the Administrator of the Transportation Security
Administration shall provide a briefing to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives and submit to such committees a report that
includes—
(A) a detailed description of the projects and capital
needs addressed pursuant to subsections (h) and (i) of
section 44923 of title 49, United States Code; and
(B) an identification of the most critical aviation
security capital needs for each airport security category as
determined by the Administrator.
(e) Biennial Inspector General Audits.—
(1) In general.—Not later than the date that is two years
after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 2
years thereafter through fiscal year 2036, the Inspector
General of the Department of Homeland Security shall conduct
an audit of the oversight by the Transportation Security
Administration of any applicable grant and disbursements made
pursuant to subsections (h) and (i) of section 44923 of title
49, United States Code.
(2) Considerations.—In conducting an audit under paragraph
(1), the Inspector General shall assess the efficacy of such
oversight of grant and disbursements made with respect to—
(A) satisfying the statutory direction in subsections (h)
and (i) of section 44923 of title 49, United States Code;
(B) addressing aviation security capital needs at airports
representative of each airport security category; and
(C) preventing fraud, waste, and abuse of funds allocated
for such purposes.
(3) Briefings to congress.—Not later than 30 days after
completing an audit pursuant to paragraph (1), the Inspector
General shall provide to the Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on
Homeland Security of the House of Representatives a briefing
on the findings of such audit.
SA 5841. Mrs. BLACKBURN (for herself, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Kim, and Mr. Blumenthal) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her tothe bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of title XII, add the following:
SEC. 1270A. OPEN TECHNOLOGY FUND.
(a) Short Title.—This section may be cited as the “Open
Technology Fund Reauthorization Act”.
(b) Authority.—The Open Technology Fund is an independent
nonprofit corporation that is authorized to receive amounts
appropriated by Congress for the purpose of promoting,
consistent with United States law, unrestricted access to
uncensored sources of information through the internet.
(c) Board of Directors.—
(1) In general.—The Open Technology Fund shall be governed
by a Board of Directors that—
(A) is bipartisan;
(B) except as otherwise provided in this section, has the
sole responsibility to oversee the operations of the Open
Technology Fund, within the jurisdiction of its
incorporation;
(C) is composed of not fewer than 5 members, who shall be
qualified individuals who are not employed in the public
sector; and
(D) shall appoint successors in the event of a vacancy on
the Board of Directors, in accordance with applicable bylaws.
(2) Not federal employees.—No employee of the Open
Technology Fund may be a Federal employee.
(d) Functions.—In furtherance of the purpose described in
subsection (b), the Open Technology Fund shall—
(1) seek to advance freedom of the press and unrestricted
access to the internet in repressive environments oversees;
(2) research, develop, implement, and maintain—
(A) technologies that circumvent techniques used by
authoritarian governments, nonstate actors, and others to
block or censor access to the internet, including
circumvention tools that bypass internet blocking, filtering,
and other censorship techniques used to limit or block
legitimate access to content and information; and
(B) secure communication tools and other forms of privacy
and security technology that facilitate the creation and
distribution of news and enable audiences to access media
content on censored websites;
(3) advance internet freedom by supporting private and
public sector research, development, implementation, and
maintenance of technologies that provide secure and
uncensored access to the internet to counter attempts by
authoritarian governments, nonstate actors, and others to
improperly restrict freedom online;
(4) research and analyze emerging technical threats and
develop innovative solutions through collaboration with the
private and public sectors to maintain the technological
advantage of the United States Government over authoritarian
governments, nonstate actors, and others;
(5) develop, acquire, and distribute requisite internet
freedom technologies and techniques, consistent with United
States foreign policy priorities;
(6) prioritize programs for countries the governments of
which restrict freedom of expression on the internet, and
that are important to the national interest of the United
States, and are consistent with section 7050(b)(2)(C) of the
Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law
116-94); and
(7) carry out any other effort consistent with the purposes
of this section or in furtherance of global internet freedom
or press freedom overseas if requested or approved by an Act
of Congress.
(e) Methodology.—In carrying out subsection (d), the Open
Technology Fund shall—
(1) support fully open-source tools, code, and components,
to the extent practicable, to ensure such supported tools and
technologies are as secure, transparent, and accessible as
possible, and require that any such tools, components, code,
or technology supported by the Open Technology Fund remain
fully open-source, to the extent practicable;
(2) support technologies that undergo comprehensive
security audits to ensure that such technologies are secure
and have not been compromised in a manner detrimental to the
interest of the United States or to individuals and
organizations benefitting from programs supported by the Open
Technology Fund;
(3) review and update periodically as necessary security
auditing procedures used by the Open Technology Fund to
reflect current industry security standards;
(4) establish safeguards to mitigate the use of such
supported technologies for illicit purposes;
(5) solicit project proposals through an open, transparent,
and competitive application process to attract innovative
applications and reduce barriers to entry;
(6) seek input from technical, regional, and subject matter
experts from a wide range of relevant disciplines, to review,
provide feedback, and evaluate proposals to ensure the most
competitive projects are funded;
(7) implement an independent review process, through which
proposals are reviewed by such experts to ensure the highest
degree of technical review and due diligence;
(8) maximize cooperation with the public and private
sectors, as well as foreign allies and partner countries, to
maximize efficiencies and eliminate duplication of efforts;
and
(9) utilize any other methodology that is considered an
industry best practice in furtherance of the mission of the
Open Technology Fund.
(f) Grants to the Open Technology Fund.—Any agreement with
the Department of State or other Federal department or agency
governing the expenditure of amounts appropriated to the Open
Technology Fund shall be subject to the following limitations
and restrictions:
(1) The headquarters of the Open Technology Fund and its
senior administrative
and managerial staff shall be located in a location which
ensures economy, operational effectiveness, and public
accountability.
(2) Amounts appropriated by Congress to the Open Technology
Fund shall be made subject to an agreement that—
(A) requires such amounts be used only for activities
consistent with this section;
(B) permits the termination of such amounts without fiscal
obligation to the United States if the Open Technology Fund
fails to substantially comply the requirements set forth in
the grant;
(C) requires any contract entered into by the Open
Technology Fund to specify that all obligations are assumed
by the Open Technology Fund and not by the United States
Government;
(D) prohibits the Open Technology Fund from entering into
an obligation before receiving funding from the United States
Government; and
(E) requires any lease agreements entered into by the Open
Technology Fund to be assignable to the United States
Government, to the extent possible.
(3) Administrative and managerial costs for operation of
the Open Technology Fund—
(A) should be kept to a minimum; and
(B) to the maximum extent feasible, should not exceed the
costs that would have been incurred if the Open Technology
Fund had been operated as a Federal entity rather than as an
independent nonprofit corporation.
(4) Amounts appropriated by Congress to the Open Technology
Fund may not be used for any activity the purpose of which is
influencing the passage or defeat of legislation being
considered by Congress.
(g) Assistance to Broadcasting Entities.—The Open
Technology Fund should render assistance to broadcasting
entities and United States Government-supported exile media
grantees to the extent necessary for censorship circumvention
and secure communications.
(h) Not a Federal Agency or Instrumentality.—Nothing in
this section may be construed to make the Open Technology
Fund a Federal agency or instrumentality.
(i) Relationship to Other United States Government-funded
Internet Freedom Programs.—The Open Technology Fund shall
coordinate with internet freedom programs of the Department
of State and other relevant United States Government
departments, in order to share information and best-practices
relating to the implementation of subsections (d) and (e).
(j) Annual Report.—The Open Technology Fund shall
highlight, in its annual report, internet freedom activities,
including a comprehensive assessment of the Open Technology
Fund's activities relating to the implementation of
subsections (d) and (e). Each such report shall include—
(1) an assessment of the current state of global internet
freedom, including trends in censorship and surveillance
technologies and internet shutdowns, and the threats such
pose to journalists, citizens, and human rights and civil-
society organizations; and
(2) a description of the technology projects supported by
the Open Technology Fund and the associated impact of such
projects in the prior year, including the countries and
regions in which such technologies were deployed, and any
associated metrics indicating audience usage of such
technologies, as well as future-year technology project
initiatives.
(k) Audit Authorities.—
(1) In general.—Financial transactions of the Open
Technology Fund relating to functions carried out under this
section may be audited by the Government Accountability
Office in accordance with such principles and procedures and
under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the
Comptroller General of the United States. Any such audit
shall be conducted at the place or places at which accounts
of the Open Technology Fund are normally kept.
(2) Access by government accountability office.—The
Government Accountability Office shall have access to all
books, accounts, records, reports, files, papers, and
property belonging to or in use by the Open Technology Fund
pertaining to financial transactions as may be necessary to
facilitate an audit. The Government Accountability Office
shall be afforded full facilities for verifying transactions
with any assets held by depositories, fiscal agents, and
custodians. All such books, accounts, records, reports,
files, papers, and property of the Open Technology Fund shall
remain in the possession and custody of the Open Technology
Fund.
(3) Exercise of authorities.—Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the Inspector General of the Department of
State is authorized to exercise the authorities of chapter 4
of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the
“Inspector General Act of 1978”), with respect to the Open
Technology Fund.
(l) Global Internet Freedom.—Section 9707(d) of the
Department of State Authorization Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C.
6217(d)) is amended—
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking “United States
Agency for Global Media” and inserting “Open Technology
Fund”;
(2) in paragraph (1), by striking “the Chief Executive
Officer of the USAGM, in consultation with”;
(3) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by striking “the USAGM or”; and
(4) in paragraph (3)—
(A) by striking the paragraph header and inserting “open
technology fund”;
(B) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
“The Chief Executive Officer of the USAGM, in consultation
with the President” and inserting “The President”;
(C) in subparagraph (A), by striking “international
broadcasting programs and incorporate such programs into”
and inserting “with international broadcasting programs to
advise on”; and
(D) in subparagraph (C), by striking “in accordance with
USAGM's annual language service prioritization review” and
inserting “in consultation with international broadcasting
program priorities”.
(m) Repeal.—Section 309A of the United States
International Broadcasting Act of 1994 (22 U.S.C. 6208a) is
repealed.
(n) Conforming Amendments.—The United States International
Broadcasting Act of 1994 (22 U.S.C. 6201 et seq.) is
amended—
(1) in section 304(d), by striking “the Open Technology
Fund,”;
(2) in section 305(c)(1), by striking “the Open Technology
Fund,”;
(3) in section 306(e)(1), by striking “the Open Technology
Fund,”; and
(4) in section 310(d), by striking “the Open Technology
Fund,”.
SA 5842. Mrs. BLACKBURN (for herself and Mr. Lujan) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for discal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. . FEDERAL CARJACKING ENFORCEMENT.
(a) Short Title.—This section may be cited as the
“Federal Carjacking Enforcement Act”.
(b) Motor Vehicles.—Section 2119 of title 18, United
States Code, is amended—
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “,
with the intent to cause death or serious bodily harm” and
inserting “knowingly”;
(2) in paragraph (1), by striking “both,” and inserting
“both;”;
(3) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
“(2) be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than
25 years, or both, if—
“(A)(i) the motor vehicle is taken, or attempted to be
taken, with the intent to cause death or serious bodily harm;
or
“(ii) the person taking, or attempting to take, the motor
vehicle brandishes or discharges a firearm (as defined in
section 921) during or in relation to such taking or
attempted taking; and
“(B) serious bodily injury (as defined in section 1365,
including any conduct that, if the conduct occurred in the
special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United
States, would violate section 2241 or 2242) results; and”;
and
(4) in paragraph (3), by striking “if death results,” and
inserting “if the motor vehicle is taken, or attempted to be
taken, with the intent to cause death or serious bodily harm,
and death results,”.
SA 5843. Mr. WARNOCK submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in title XXVIII, insert the
following:
SEC. 28. RADON TESTING OF MILITARY HOUSING OWNED OR
CONTROLLED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
(a) Report.—Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit
to the congressional defense committees a report identifying
the installations of the Department of Defense that have
military housing owned or controlled by the Federal
Government that should be monitored for levels of radon at or
above the action level established by the Environmental
Protection Agency, including those installations evaluated in
the report dated April 30, 2020, and entitled, “Evaluation
of the DoD's Management of Health and Safety Hazards in
Government-Owned and Government-Controlled Military Family
Housing” (DODIG-2020-082).
(b) Testing Procedures and Standards.—The Secretary of
each military department shall establish procedures at
installations identified under subsection (a) under the
jurisdiction of the Secretary concerned for testing for radon
at military housing owned or controlled by the Federal
Government that are consistent with current national
consensus standards and are in compliance with applicable
Federal regulations in order to ensure radon levels at such
housing are below recommended levels established by the
Environmental Protection Agency, whether through—
(1) regular testing (a minimum of one time every five years
for all housing, and a minimum of one time every two years
for housing that is above recommended radon levels
established by the Environmental Protection Agency until
radon levels are reduced to at or below such levels) of such
housing; or
(2) the installation of monitoring equipment in such
housing.
(c) Notification Regarding Need for Mitigation.—If, as a
result of testing conducted pursuant to procedures
established under subsection (b), a unit of military housing
owned or controlled by the Federal Government requires radon
mitigation to ensure radon levels are below recommended
levels established by the Environmental Protection Agency,
the head of the installation providing the housing unit shall
submit to the Secretary of the military department concerned,
not later than seven days after the determination of the need
for radon mitigation, the mitigation plan for the housing
unit.
SA 5844. Mr. KIM submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in title III, insert the
following:
SEC. 3__. EXPANSION OF USE OF INDUSTRIAL BASE FUND FOR SHIPS,
SUBMARINES, AND DRYDOCK AND SHIP REPAIR.
Section 4817(g)(1)(L) of title 10, United States Code, is
amended by inserting before the period at the end the
following: “, including investments that improve throughput,
capacity, schedule reliability, and safety at public or
private shipbuilding and ship repair facilities, and critical
drydock and ship repair infrastructure components and
systems”.
SA 5845. Mr. KIM submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in title III, insert the
following:
SEC. 3__. STUDY ON READINESS OF MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN THE
CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES FOR AN UNMANNED
AIRCRAFT SYSTEM ATTACK.
(a) In General.—Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall
enter into an agreement with a federally funded research and
development center to conduct an independent study of the
readiness of three covered military installations for an
unmanned aircraft system attack on military personnel and
infrastructure at such installations and the resilience of
such installations to such attack.
(b) Requirements for Study.—In carrying out the study
required under subsection (a) at a covered military
installation, the federally funded research and development
center with which the Secretary has entered into an agreement
to carry out the study at such installation shall—
(1) detail the current capabilities of such installation to
deter an unmanned aircraft system attack and any gap in such
capabilities; and
(2) submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the
Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the
findings with respect to such study.
(c) Elements.—The study required by subsection (a) at each
covered military installation shall include the following:
(1) An assessment of future threats to military
installations from unmanned aircraft systems and other drone-
like warfare.
(2) An identification of counter-unmanned aircraft system
capacities that already exist at the installation.
(3) An identification of the counter-unmanned aircraft
system capacities that are needed at the installation.
(d) Swarm Attack Exercises.—
(1) In general.—The Secretary of Defense shall require
that swarm attack exercises be conducted to assess the
readiness and security of covered military installations
selected for purposes of the study under subsection (a) and
to evaluate the ability of such installations to perform
critical missions during an ongoing unmanned aircraft system
attack.
(2) Exclusion.—A swarm attack exercise conducted under
paragraph (1) may exclude, if technically feasible, housing
areas, commissaries, exchanges, and morale, welfare, and
recreation facilities.
(3) Policy and schedule for exercises.—The Secretary of
Defense shall—
(A) provide a uniform policy for the military departments
and the Defense Agencies with respect to conducting swarm
attack exercises under paragraph (1); and
(B) through fiscal year 2036, establish a schedule of swarm
attack exercises for the military departments and the Defense
Agencies, with each military department and Defense Agency
scheduled to conduct such an exercise on each covered
military installation selected for purposes of the study
under subsection (a) sufficient to allow that military
department or Defense Agency to meet the goals of this
section.
(e) Production of Data.—
(1) In general.—The Secretary of Defense shall require the
Secretary of each military department and the head of each
Defense Agency to conduct monitoring, measuring, and testing
to produce the data necessary to comply with this section.
(2) Provision of data.—Any data produced under paragraph
(1) shall be made available to the Commander of the United
States Northern Command upon request.
(f) Report.—Not later than one year after the commencement
of the study required under subsection (a), the Secretary of
Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of
the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the
results of the study.
(g) Covered Military Installation Defined.—In this
section, the term “covered military installation” means a
military installation located in the continental United
States.
SA 5846. Mr. KIM submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. . PILOT PROGRAM FOR ONE-WAY AND COUNTER-UNMANNED
AIRCRAFT SYSTEM DRONE TESTBED.
(a) Pilot Program Authorized.—The Secretary of the Army
shall establish a pilot program to test, evaluate, and
demonstrate the integration of approved munition payloads
with approved unmanned aircraft systems, including one-way
unmanned aircraft systems and counter-unmanned aircraft
system platforms.
(b) Purpose.—The purposes of the pilot program required by
subsection (a) shall are—
(1) to accelerate the integration of modular payloads onto
multiple drone platforms;
(2) to reduce time-to-field for lethal and non-lethal
drone-enabled munitions capabilities;
(3) to standardize payload-to-platform interfaces; and
(4) to support rapid prototyping, validation, and
transition of drone-enabled munitions into programs of
record.
(c) Location.—
(1) In general.—The Single Manager for Conventional
Ammunition shall, acting through the Joint Capability Program
Executive for Ammunition and Energetics, determine the
location or locations at which the pilot program required by
subsection (a) is conducted.
(2) Considerations.—In selecting a location under
paragraph (1), the Single Manager for Conventional Ammunition
shall consider—
(A) the availability of munitions and energetics subject-
matter expertise, including the interface of munitions with
drones;
(B) proximity to live fire testing range space and range
availability, prioritizing joint base facilities; and
(C) existing infrastructure capable of supporting rapid
prototyping, integration, and live-fire testing.
(d) Components.—The pilot program required by subsection
(a) may include—
(1) transition and integration of common Electronic Safe
and Arming Device designs;
(2) incorporation of the Picatinny Common Lethality
Integration Kit and the Small Open Payload Interface;
(3) development and standardization of technology and
practices supporting payload-to-drone connectivity;
(4) prototyping, demonstration, and technology transfer of
munition systems integrated with unmanned aircraft systems;
and
(5) development of standardized drone interface
documentation and validated integration processes for
counter-unmanned aircraft system platforms, including
energetic payload applications.
(e) Coordination.—In carrying out the pilot program
required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall coordinate
with the Joint Capability Program Executive for Ammunition
and Energetics, Development Command (DEVCOM), relevant
program executive offices, and other Department of Defense
components as the Secretary considers appropriate.
SA 5847. Mr. KIM submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal
year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. PILOT PROGRAM FOR BRAVE-1 MODELED TECHNOLOGY
PLATFORM TO IMPROVE FEEDBACK LOOP AND SPEED UP
MILITARY INNOVATION.
(a) Establishment.—
(1) In general.—Not later than 360 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall,
acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research
and Engineering and in coordination with the Under Secretary
of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, establish and
carry out a pilot program to test a digital feedback platform
designed to improve the collection, analysis, and
transmission of operational feedback from members of the
Armed Forces to inform defense innovation, acquisition, and
sustainment decisions.
(2) Designation.—The pilot program required by paragraph
(1) shall be known as the “Brave Model” (in this section
the “Pilot Program”).
(b) Locations.—
(1) In general.—The Secretary shall select not fewer than
three and not more than six units of the Armed Forces to
participate in the Pilot Program, including at least one unit
from each of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
(2) Considerations.—In selecting units under paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall consider—
(A) units stationed overseas who are less connected to
resupplying chains;
(B) units employing a mix of advanced and legacy systems;
and
(C) units with varying levels of access to maintenance,
resupply, and technical support infrastructure.
(c) Objectives.—The objectives of the Pilot Program are—
(1) to develop a feedback loop modeled after BRAVE-1 in
Ukraine, so that the government and industry can jointly
receive data directly from the Armed Forces;
(2) to reduce delays in identifying and addressing
equipment failures and capability gaps;
(3) to enable more rapid iteration and improvement of
military systems through data driven insights; and
(4) to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a sustained
capability within the Department of Defense to support
continuous operator-driven innovation.
(d) Briefings.—Not later than 90 days after the date of
the completion of the Pilot Program, the Secretary shall
provide to the appropriate congressional committees a
briefing that includes—
(1) an assessment of the effectiveness of the Pilot Program
in achieving the objectives set forth in subsection (c);
(2) a comparison of the speed and effectiveness of
identifying and addressing equipment issues in units
participating in the Pilot Program versus units not
participating in the Pilot Program;
(3) a description of key capability gaps and system
failures identified through the Pilot Program; and
(4) recommendations regarding whether to expand, modify, or
terminate the Pilot Program.
(e) Termination.—The Pilot Program shall terminate on the
date that is two years after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
(f) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.—In this
section, the term “appropriate congressional committees”
means—
(1) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives.
SA 5848. Mr. KIM submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. . UNIVERSITY AFFILIATED RESEARCH CENTER QUANTUM
INFORMATION SCIENCE RESEARCH.
(a) Feasibility and Advisability Assessment.—The Secretary
of Defense shall, in consultation with the Under Secretary of
Defense for Research and Engineering—
(1) assess the feasibility and advisability of expanding
the scope, capacity, or capabilities of an existing
university affiliated research center that operates at the
Office of the Secretary of Defense level to support quantum
science, engineering, and national security applications; and
(2) submit a recommendation regarding the feasibility and
advisability of such expansion to the congressional defense
committees.
(b) Determination.—Not later than 15 days after submitting
the assessment required under subsection (a), the Secretary
shall determine whether it is feasible and advisable to
expand such a university affiliated research center and—
(1) for a positive determination, submit to the
congressional defense committees a plan described in
subsection (c); and
(2) for a negative determination, submit to the
congressional defense committees a justification for such
determination that includes the data and analysis supporting
such determination.
(c) Plan.—If the Secretary of Defense determines that
expanding a university affiliated research center is feasible
and advisable under subsection (b), the Secretary shall
submit to the congressional defense committees a plan for
such expansion, including an assessment of the institutional
capacity of the covered educational institution at which such
university affiliated research center is operated.
(d) Elements.—The plan described in subsection (c) shall
include the following:
(1) An assessment of the existing capabilities of the
university affiliated research center and associated research
programs at the host institution in quantum science, systems
integration, quantum engineering, and related fields.
(2) An assessment of the ability of the university
affiliated research center—
(A) to conduct basic and applied research in quantum
technologies relevant to national defense;
(B) to integrate quantum technologies across multiple
military departments and defense agencies; and
(C) to support the mission of the Under Secretary of
Defense for Research and Engineering in advancing cross-
cutting technologies.
(3) An assessment of the activities and investments
necessary—
(A) to augment facilities, laboratories, or secure research
environments—
(i) to support research, development, test, and evaluation
activities relating to quantum technologies;
(ii) to access, secure, and conduct research involving
sensitive or classified information; and
(iii) to respond rapidly to emerging Department-wide
requirements in quantum-enabled capabilities;
(B) expand the participation of the university affiliated
research center and affiliated research centers and
laboratories at the host institution supporting the
university affiliated research center mission in Department
of Defense research, engineering, and workforce development
activities relating to quantum technologies; and
(C) to improve the ability of the university affiliated
research center to support the transition of quantum
technologies into operational use.
(4) Recommendations identifying actions that may be taken
by the Secretary, the Under Secretary, Congress, and other
stakeholders to strengthen the role of such university
affiliated research center in advancing quantum technologies
for national security purposes.
(5) Any specific goals, incentives, and metrics developed
by the Secretary to increase and measure the capacity of such
university affiliated research center to support Department-
wide quantum capabilities.
(e) Report Required.—Not later than 1 year after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall—
(1) submit to the congressional defense committees a report
that includes the plan developed under subsection (c); and
(2) make the plan available on a publicly accessible
website of the Department of Defense.
(f) Support for Expansion.—
(1) In general.—The Under Secretary of Defense for
Research and Engineering may establish a program to provide
contracts, grants, or other agreements to support the
expansion of the university affiliated research center
described in subsection (a), including through collaborative
research activities with affiliated research centers and
laboratories at the host institution.
(2) Purposes.—The purposes described in this paragraph are
the following:
(A) Enhancing workforce and research infrastructure
capabilities in quantum science and engineering.
(B) Expanding the ability of the university affiliated
research center to recruit and retain faculty and technical
experts in quantum-related fields.
(C) Supporting collaboration with Federal laboratories,
Federally funded research and development centers, and
private sector entities.
(D) Accelerating the development, testing, and transition
of quantum technologies for Department-wide applications.
(E) Any other purposes the Under Secretary determines
appropriate for strengthening quantum capabilities.
(g) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) The term “institution of higher education” has the
meaning given such term in section 101 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
(2) The term “quantum technologies” includes quantum
computing, quantum sensing, quantum networking, quantum
communications, and quantum materials.
(3) The term “University Affiliated Research Center
operating at the Office of the Secretary of Defense level”
means a university affiliated research center that supports
research, engineering, and analytical activities that address
cross-cutting priorities of the Department of Defense and are
not limited to a single military department.
SA 5849. Mr. KIM submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. . ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEFENSE DIGITAL ENGINEERING
CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR MODEL-BASED
ACQUISITION, SECURE DATA TRANSFER, AND
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Establishment.—
(1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall,
acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research
and Engineering and in coordination with the Secretary of the
Navy, establish a center of excellence at an accredited
institution of higher education located within an established
defense innovation corridor that maintains—
(A) active defense research programs across not fewer than
two military departments;
(B) an operational digital engineering hub or equivalent
facility;
(C) a planned or existing facility of not less than 200,000
gross square feet with the capability to achieve sensitive
compartmented information facility (SCIF) accreditation; and
(D) demonstrated capability in model-based systems
engineering, additive manufacturing for defense applications,
and cybersecurity.
(2) Designation.—The center of exellence established under
paragraph (1) shall be known as the “Defense Digital
Engineering Center of Excellence” (in this section the
“Center”).
(b) Mission.—The Center shall serve as a nationally
designated hub for the following three interconnected defense
digital engineering pillars:
(1) Secure data transfer and digital engineering
demilitarized zone (dmz).—(A) The Center shall establish and
maintain an accredited secure data transfer capability to
serve as a trusted intermediary for the exchange of model-
based digital engineering artifacts between military
laboratories, shipyards, operational platforms, government
agencies, and industry partners.
(B) Such capability shall support both large-scale digital
engineering programs, including programs of record, and
smaller-scale initiatives such as additive manufacturing
digital thread applications for equipment obsolescence
management.
(C) The Center shall develop and maintain interoperability
standards for digital artifact exchange that are compatible
with existing and emerging Department of Defense data
architectures.
(2) Model-based acquisition pilot program.—(A) The
Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Center, shall
establish a pilot program to develop and test model-based
technical data packages for not fewer than one naval
acquisition program of record.
(B) The pilot program shall demonstrate a continuous
digital thread from requirements development through design,
construction, and sustainment, with the objective of
eliminating duplicative data recreation by government and
industry stakeholders.
(C) The Center shall develop reference architectures, data
exchange standards, and interoperability protocols for model-
based Technical Data Packages in coordination with the Naval
Sea Systems Command, relevant Program Executive Offices, and
industry partners.
(D) Not later than two years after the establishment of the
pilot program, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the
congressional defense committees a report evaluating the cost
savings, schedule improvements, and technical quality
improvements achieved relative to static, document-centric
acquisition processes.
(3) Tip of a spear training (toast) workforce development
program.—(A) The Center shall develop and deliver role-
specific digital engineering training programs, to be known
as “Tip of a Spear Training” or “TOAST” programs, for
Department of Defense and Department of the Navy leadership
and management personnel.
(B) TOAST programs shall be designed at not fewer than
three proficiency levels—
(i) executive level, for flag and general officers, Senior
Executive Service personnel, and program executive officers;
(ii) program management level, for program managers, ship
design managers, and design integration managers; and
(iii) working level, for systems engineers, requirements
management personnel, and technical warrant holders.
(C) The Center may award certificates of completion and
shall coordinate with the Defense Acquisition University to
ensure TOAST programs satisfy continuing education and
certification requirements under chapter 87 of title 10,
United States Code.
(D) Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Center shall enroll not fewer than 50
Department of Defense personnel in TOAST programs, with a
target of 200 personnel per year by the third year of
operation.
(c) Coordination.—The Center shall coordinate with—
(1) the Naval Sea Systems Command, Program Executive
Offices, and relevant systems commands;
(2) the Office of the Chief Information Officer of the
Department of Defense;
(3) the Defense Acquisition University;
(4) the Defense Innovation Unit;
(5) relevant Federally funded research and development
centers; and
(6) private sector industry partners, including
shipbuilders, defense contractors, and technology firms.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense to carry out
this section, $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2027, of which—
(1) not more than $10,000,000 shall be for the
establishment and initial accreditation of the Secure Data
Transfer and Digital Engineering DMZ capability under
subsection (c)(1);
(2) not more than $10,000,000 shall be for the Model-Based
Acquisition Pilot Program under subsection (c)(2); and
(3) not more than $5,000,000 shall be for the development
and initial delivery of TOAST workforce development programs
under subsection (c)(3).
(e) Annual Report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5
years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the
congressional defense committees a report on the activities,
outcomes, and expenditures of the Center, including an
assessment of the feasibility and advisability of designating
additional institutions of higher education as affiliated
nodes in a national defense digital engineering network.
SA 5850. Mr. CRUZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. LIMITATION AND REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO
EXPEDITIONARY COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADES.
(a) Limitation.—None of the funds authorized to be
appropriated or otherwise made available for any of fiscal
years 2027 through 2031 for the Army may be obligated or
expended to retire, deactivate, schedule to deactivate, or
proceed with any other action that would reduce the aircraft,
capabilities, resources, or personnel available, as of the
date of the enactment of this Act, for the Expeditionary
Combat Aviation Brigades unless the Secretary of the Army
submits to the congressional defense committees—
(1) a certification that the Secretary of the Army plans to
recapitalize any such aircraft for the Expeditionary Combat
Aviation Brigades and to otherwise restore any such
capabilities, resources, or personnel levels reduced; and
(2) the plan of the Secretary of the Army for the actions
specified in paragraph (1).
(b) Requirement to Restore.—
(1) Requirement.—Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, for any Expeditionary Combat
Aviation Brigade that, prior to such date of enactment, the
Secretary of the Army retired or deactivated (or carried out
any other activity to reduce the aircraft, capabilities,
resources, or personnel thereof), the Secretary of the Army
shall reinstate or reactivate such brigade, or otherwise
restore such brigade to the levels preceding such reduction,
as the case may be.
(2) Report.—Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit
to the congressional defense committees a report on the
implementation of this subsection.
(c) Plan Required.—Not later than 180 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall
submit to the congressional defense committees a plan to
sustain and modernize the aircraft used by the Expeditionary
Combat Aviation Brigades.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Department of the Army for the
operation of aircraft, and training for such operation, by
the Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigades $35,000,000 for
fiscal year 2027.
SA 5851. Mr. CRUZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. . PROTECT ACT.
(a) Short Title.—This section may be cited as the
“Preservation of Rights and Ownership of Traditional
Emblems, Crests, and Tributes Act” or the “PROTECT Act”.
(b) Registration of Trademarks.—
(1) In general.—Section 2 of the Act entitled “An Act to
provide for the registration
and protection of trademarks used in commerce, to carry out
the provisions of certain international conventions, and for
other purposes”, approved July 5, 1946 (commonly known as
the “Trademark Act of 1946”) (15 U.S.C. 1052), is amended—
(A) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g);
(B) by inserting after subsection (e) the following:
“(f) Is authorized, issued, or controlled by the
Government for the purposes of Department of Defense or Armed
Forces awards, decorations, campaign and service ribbons, or
medals, except that such a mark may be registered at the
discretion of the agency or department of the Government that
controls the official use of the mark.”; and
(C) in subsection (g), as so redesignated—
(i) in the first sentence, by striking “and (e)(5)” and
inserting “(e)(5), and (f)”; and
(ii) by adding at the end the following: “Nothing in
subsection (f) may be construed to prohibit the continued use
of a mark on or after the date of enactment of the
Preservation of Rights and Ownership of Traditional Emblems,
Crests, and Tributes Act by any person or entity, including a
nonprofit organization, if that person or entity was using
that mark before that date of enactment and that use was
lawful before that date of enactment, except that, on and
after that date of enactment, no person or entity other than
an agency or department of the Government described in that
subsection may register such a mark on the principal
register.”.
(2) Technical and conforming amendments.—The Act entitled
“An Act to provide for the registration and protection of
trademarks used in commerce, to carry out the provisions of
certain international conventions, and for other purposes”,
approved July 5, 1946 (commonly known as the “Trademark Act
of 1946”) (15 U.S.C. 1051 et seq.), is amended—
(A) in section 1(d)(1) (15 U.S.C. 1051(d)(1)), by striking
“subsections (a) through (e) of section 2” and inserting
“subsections (a) through (f) of section 2”; and
(B) in section 26 (15 U.S.C. 1094), by striking “2(f)”
and inserting “2(g)”.
SA 5852. Mr. CRUZ (for himself and Mr. Budd) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in title X, insert the following:
SEC. . TREATMENT OF COMPULSORY EDUCATION AND HOMESCHOOLING
LAWS OF STATES UNDER SERVICEMEMBERS CIVIL
RELIEF ACT.
(a) In General.—Title VII of the Servicemembers Civil
Relief Act (50 U.S.C. 4021 et seq.) is amended by adding at
the end the following new section:
“SEC. 708. COMPULSORY EDUCATION AND HOMESCHOOLING LAWS OF
STATES.
“(a) In General.—A dependent child of a servicemember who
is educated at home and is covered by military orders for a
permanent change of station to a location shall be considered
in compliance with all compulsory education and homeschooling
provisions of law of the State of the location, if such
dependent child is in compliance with all the compulsory
education and homeschooling provisions of law of such State
or the State of the legal residence of the servicemember.
“(b) Definition of Child.—In this section, the term
`child' has the meaning given such term in section 101 of
title 38, United States Code.”.
(b) Clerical Amendment.—The table of contents in section
1(b) of such Act is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 707 the following new item: “Sec. 708. Compulsory education and homeschooling laws of States.”.
SA 5853. Mr. CRUZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in title XII, insert the
following:
SEC. 12__. LIMITATION ON ENGAGEMENT WITH MEXICO UNTIL MEXICO
PROVIDES WATER PURSUANT TO TREATY OBLIGATIONS.
(a) Report Required.—
(1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the
Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate committees
of Congress a report regarding deliveries of water by Mexico
pursuant to the Treaty relating to the Utilization of Waters
of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande,
signed at Washington February 3, 1944 (9 Bevans 1166),
between the United States and Mexico (in this section
referred to as the “Treaty”).
(2) Elements.—The report required by paragraph (1) shall
include—
(A) a determination of whether Mexico has, during the
calendar year preceding the submission of the report,
delivered to the United States a minimum of 350,000 acre-feet
of water;
(B) an assessment of Mexico's capabilities for delivering
1,750,000 acre-feet of water by the final year of the five-
year cycle described in the Treaty; and
(C) an identification of significant economic sectors or
activities in Mexico that are situated in, or substantially
dependent upon, irrigation districts that benefit from—
(i) water delivered to Mexico by the United States; or
(ii) the 6 tributaries of the Rio Grande from which Mexico
is obligated to deliver water pursuant to the Treaty.
(b) Limitation on Engagement.—
(1) In general.—If, in a report required by subsection
(a), the Secretary makes a negative determination under
paragraph (2)(A) of that subsection, the President—
(A) shall deny all non-Treaty requests by Mexico; and
(B) may limit or terminate engagement with the Government
of Mexico related to the sectors or activities in Mexico
identified under subsection (a)(2)(C), other than engagement
to counter the flow of fentanyl, fentanyl precursors,
xylazine, and other synthetic drugs into the United States.
(2) Exception.—The limitation described in paragraph
(1)(A) shall not apply to a non-Treaty request by Mexico if
the Secretary submits to the appropriate committees of
Congress, not later than 120 days after the submission of the
report described in paragraph (1), and every 120 days
thereafter, a certification that—
(A) the water delivered through such channels—
(i) will be used exclusively to address an ongoing
ecological, environmental, or humanitarian emergency; and
(ii) will not be used for—
(I) municipal purposes;
(II) industrial purposes;
(III) normal water supply needs;
(IV) water infrastructure deficiencies; or
(V) maintenance work; and
(B) fulfilling the request is vital to the national
interests of the United States.
(c) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.—The term
“appropriate committees of Congress” means—
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Non-treaty request.—The term “non-Treaty request”
means an emergency request for special delivery channels for
the delivery of water made pursuant to any current or future
Minute of the International Boundary and Water Commission
based on the principles established in Commission Minute No.
240, entitled “Emergency Deliveries of Colorado River Waters
for Use in Tijuana”, dated June 13, 1972, as subsequently
amended and extended, most recently by Commission Minute No.
327, entitled “Emergency Deliveries of Colorado River Waters
For Use In the City of Tijuana, Baja California”, dated
January 28, 2022.
SA 5854. Mr. CRUZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of title XII, add the following:
Subtitle F—Falun Gong and Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting
Protection Act
SEC. 1271. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the “Falun Gong and Victims
of Forced Organ Harvesting Protection Act”.
SEC. 1272. DEFINITIONS.
In this subtitle:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.—The term
“appropriate congressional committees” means—
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Permanent
Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of
Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Select Committee
on Intelligence of the Senate.
(2) Forced organ harvesting.—The term “forced organ
harvesting” means the removal of one or more organs from an
individual by means of coercion, abduction, deception, fraud,
or abuse of power or a position of vulnerability.
(3) Intelligence community.—The term “intelligence
community” has the meaning given the term in section 3 of
the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003).
(4) Organ.—The term “organ” has the meaning given the
term “human organ” in section 301(c)(1) of the National
Organ Transplant Act (42 U.S.C. 274e(c)(1)).
SEC. 1273. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Public and private organizations have persistently
expressed concerns regarding organ transplant policies and
practices in the People's Republic of China, including
allegations of forced organ harvesting of those
targeted by authorities of the People's Republic of China
based on religious beliefs, ethnic background, or other
affiliations.
(2) The 2023 International Religious Freedom Report of the
Department of State stated, “Civil society organizations
continued to express concern over reports that authorities
[of the People's Republic of China] forced members of
religious organizations, in particular Falun Gong members and
ethnic Uyghurs, to serve as organ donors.”.
(3) The Government of the People's Republic of China has
failed to provide a full, credible, and independently
verifiable response to repeated international calls for
increased accountability and transparency for its organ
transplant policies and practices, particularly allegations
related to forced organ harvesting.
(4) The United States Government, including the
intelligence community, has yet to provide its formal
assessment of allegations related to systemic organ
harvesting practices by the Government of the People's
Republic of China, including against Falun Gong
practitioners.
SEC. 1274. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that the United States
Government should—
(1) investigate allegations of systemic forced organ
harvesting in the People's Republic of China, including
incidents involving Falun Gong practitioners; and
(2) condemn illegal, coercive, non-consensual, or non-
transparent organ procurement and transplantation practices,
including forced organ harvesting from prisoners of
conscience.
SEC. 1275. IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS WITH RESPECT TO FORCED
ORGAN HARVESTING WITHIN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC
OF CHINA.
(a) Imposition of Sanctions.—The President shall impose
the sanctions described in subsection (c) with respect to
each foreign person included in the most recent list
submitted under subsection (b).
(b) List of Persons.—
(1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a list of foreign
persons that the President determines to have knowingly and
directly engaged in or facilitated forced organ harvesting
within the People's Republic of China.
(2) Updates of lists.—The President shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees an updated list under
paragraph (1)—
(A) as new information becomes available;
(B) not later than one year after the date of the enactment
of this Act; and
(C) annually thereafter until the date of termination under
subsection (h).
(3) Form.—The list required by paragraph (1), and any
updates to the list required by paragraph (2), shall be
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified
annex.
(c) Sanctions Described.—The sanctions described in this
subsection are the following:
(1) Blocking of property.—The President shall exercise all
of the powers granted to the President by the International
Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.)
(except that the requirements of section 202 of such Act (50
U.S.C. 1701) shall not apply) to the extent necessary to
block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests
in property of a foreign person on the most recent list
submitted under subsection (b) if such property and interests
in property are in the United States, come within the United
States, or are or come within the possession or control of a
United States person.
(2) Inadmissibility of certain individuals.—
(A) Ineligibility for visas, admission, or parole.—An
alien included in the most recent list submitted under
subsection (b) is—
(i) inadmissible to the United States;
(ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other documentation to
enter the United States; and
(iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted or paroled into
the United States or to receive any other benefit under the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.).
(B) Current visa revoked.—
(i) In general.—An alien described in subparagraph (A) is
subject to revocation of any visa or other entry
documentation regardless of when the visa or other entry
documentation is or was issued.
(ii) Immediate effect.—A revocation under clause (i)
shall, in accordance with section 221(i) of the Immigration
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1201(i))—
(I) take effect immediately; and
(II) automatically cancel any other valid visa or entry
documentation that is in the alien's possession.
(3) Exception.—Sanctions under paragraph (2) shall not
apply to an alien if admitting or paroling the alien into the
United States is necessary to permit the United States to
comply with the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the
United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 1947, and
entered into force November 21, 1947, between the United
Nations and the United States, or other applicable
international obligations of the United States.
(d) Penalties.—The penalties provided for in subsections
(b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) shall apply to a person
who violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or
causes a violation of regulations promulgated to carry out
subsection (a) to the same extent that such penalties apply
to a person who commits an unlawful act described in section
206(a) of that Act.
(e) Exception To Comply With National Security.—The
following activities shall be exempt from sanctions under
this section:
(1) Activities subject to the reporting requirements under
title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091
et seq.).
(2) Any authorized intelligence or law enforcement
activities of the United States.
(f) Exception Relating to Provision of Humanitarian
Assistance.—Sanctions under this section may not be imposed
with respect to transactions or the facilitation of
transactions for—
(1) the sale of agricultural commodities, food, or
medicine;
(2) the provision of humanitarian assistance;
(3) financial transactions relating to humanitarian
assistance or for humanitarian purposes; or
(4) transporting goods or services that are necessary to
carry out operations relating to humanitarian assistance or
humanitarian purposes.
(g) Waiver Authority.—
(1) Waiver.—The President may, on a case by case basis,
waive the imposition of any sanction under this section if
the President determines such waiver is in the national
security interests of the United States.
(2) Reports.—Not later than 120 days after the date on
which the President submits the first list under subsection
(b)(1), and every 120 days thereafter until the date of
termination under subsection (h), the President shall submit
to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the
extent to which the President has used the waiver authority
under paragraph (1) during the 120-day period preceding
submission of the report.
(h) Sunset.—The authority to impose sanctions under this
section shall terminate on the date that is 5 years after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
(i) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Admission; admitted; alien; lawfully admitted for
permanent residence.—The terms “admission”, “admitted”,
“alien”, and “lawfully admitted for permanent residence”
have the meanings given those terms in section 101 of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101).
(2) Foreign person.—The term “foreign person” means an
individual or entity that is not a United States person.
(3) Knowingly.—The term “knowingly”, with respect to
conduct, a circumstance, or a result, means that a person had
actual knowledge, or should have known, of the conduct, the
circumstance, or the result.
(4) United states person.—The term “United States
person” means—
(A) a United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted
for permanent residence to the United States;
(B) an entity organized under the laws of the United States
or any jurisdiction within the United States, including a
foreign branch of such an entity; or
(C) any person located in the United States.
SEC. 1276. REPORT ON ORGAN TRANSPLANT POLICIES AND PRACTICES
OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.
(a) In General.—Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services,
the Director of the National Institutes of Health, and the
heads of relevant elements of the intelligence community,
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
report on the organ transplant policies and practices of the
People's Republic of China.
(b) Matters To Be Included.—The report required under
subsection (a) shall include—
(1) a formal determination as to whether the Government of
the People's Republic of China engages, or formerly engaged,
in systemic forced organ harvesting practices and policies;
(2) a summary of de jure and de facto policies toward organ
transplantation in the People's Republic of China, including
with respect to prisoners of conscience (including
practitioners of Falun Gong), other prisoners, and victims of
forced organ harvesting;
(3)(A) the number of organ transplants that are known to
occur or are estimated to occur on an annual basis in the
People's Republic of China;
(B) the number of known or estimated voluntary organ donors
in the People's Republic of China;
(C) an assessment of the sources of organs for transplant
in the People's Republic of China; and
(D) an assessment of the time, in days, that it takes to
procure an organ for transplant within the medical system of
the People's Republic of China and an assessment of whether
such timetable is possible based on the number of known or
estimated voluntary organ donors in the People's Republic of
China;
(4) a list of all United States grants during the 10 years
before the date of the enactment of this Act that have
supported research on organ transplantation in the People's
Republic of China or in collaboration between an entity of
the People's Republic of China and a United States entity;
and
(5) if the determination made under paragraph (1) is that
the Government of the People's Republic of China engages, or
formerly engaged, in systemic forced organ harvesting
practices and policies, a determination as to
whether forced organ harvesting within the People's Republic
of China constitutes an “atrocity” (as such term is defined
in section 6 of the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities
Prevention Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-441; 22 U.S.C. 2656
note)).
(c) Form.—The report required under subsection (a) shall
be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a
classified annex.
SEC. 1277. EXCEPTION RELATING TO IMPORTATION OF GOODS.
(a) In General.—The authorities and requirements to impose
sanctions authorized under this subtitle shall not include
the authority or requirement to impose sanctions on the
importation of goods.
(b) Good Defined.—In this section, the term “good” means
any article, natural or man-made substance, material, supply
or manufactured product, including inspection and test
equipment, and excluding technical data.