S. 2296 — National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026

This section authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 2026 for procurement for the Army, the Navy and the Marine Corps, the Air Force and the Space Force, and Defense-wide activities, as specified in the funding table in section 4101.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Navy, beginning in FY2026, to enter into one or more contracts for the procurement of up to five Columbia-class submarines (i.e., next-generation ballistic missile submarines). Contracts entered into under this authority must (1) condition any U.S. payments after FY2026 on the availability of appropriations for such fiscal years and (2) limit U.S. termination liability to the total amount of funds obligated to the contract at the time of termination.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Navy during fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to enter into one or more contracts for the procurement of up to 15 Medium Landing Ships, including as additions to existing contracts for the program. The section requires the Secretary to certify to the congressional defense committees at least 30 days prior to contract award—prepared by the milestone decision authority—that (1) the contract aligns with Navy force structure requirements; (2) it will achieve significant savings relative to annual contracting; (3) funding requests will avoid cancellation; (4) the design is stable with manageable technical risk; (5) cost estimates and savings projections are realistic; and (6) sufficient funds are available in the award year, with required funding in the future-years defense program (FYDP) under 10 U.S.C. §221. The section further authorizes advance procurement contracts for the ships and associated systems or subsystems in economic order quantities when cost savings would result and conditions out-year contract payments on the availability of appropriations.

This section extends the prohibition on availability of funds for legacy Navy waterborne security barriers (i.e., existing systems to protect Navy ports from waterborne threats) through 2026 (from 2025), strikes prior reporting requirements, and requires the Secretary of the Navy to submit to the congressional defense committees by April 1, 2026, a recapitalization plan to replace such barriers that includes (1) a requirements document specifying key performance parameters and attributes, (2) certification that the new barriers exceed legacy capabilities, (3) an acquisition strategy meeting those requirements, and (4) certification of full and open competition under 10 U.S.C. §§3201–3205. The section further directs implementation of the plan by September 30, 2027, and makes conforming changes to the section heading and table of contents.

This section repeals Section 122 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, which limited Navy procurement of medium unmanned surface vessels (MUSVs) and large unmanned surface vessels (LUSVs). It further prohibits the Secretary of the Navy from awarding detail design or construction contracts, or obligating procurement funds, for MUSV or LUSV programs unless the contract requires an operational demonstration (i.e., land- or sea-based test in vessel-representative form, fit, and function) of at least 720 continuous hours without maintenance on (1) the main propulsion system, including fuel and lube oil systems, or (2) the electrical generation and distribution system; bars acceptance of delivery until the Secretary certifies completion of the demonstration to the congressional defense committees; and limits contract financing payments to no more than 90% for small businesses or 80% for other businesses until the certification is submitted.

This section limits the obligation or expenditure of funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for FY2026 for Navy construction, advance procurement, or long-lead materials for ships in the TAGOS surveillance towed-array sensor system ship program (i.e., ocean surveillance ships that support anti-submarine warfare by towing acoustic sensor arrays) until the Secretary of the Navy submits a report to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees within 90 days of enactment. The report addresses (1) progress on basic and functional design completion and compliance with 10 U.S.C. §8669c (which prohibits approval of construction start for the first ship in a major Navy program until certifications of production readiness and 95% design approval); (2) the Navy's accuracy, timeliness, and completeness in providing contract baseline design, general arrangement drawings, and other government-furnished information to the prime contractor; (3) the functional design's ability to meet program requirements, including speed; (4) the Navy's adherence to performance-based requirements and the prime contractor's ability to make design choices consistent with cost and schedule responsibilities; and (5) alternative solutions for Navy anti-submarine warfare requirements, including unmanned systems.

This section requires the Secretary of the Navy to submit, with FY2027 defense budget materials, a 30-year shipbuilding plan meeting the statutory requirement to maintain 31 amphibious warfare ships (10 U.S.C. §8062(b)); and requires the Secretary of Defense to submit, with those materials, a certification on whether they support that requirement. It limits obligation or expenditure to 75% of FY2026 funds authorized for (1) Navy Administration and Service-Wide Activities, Operation and Maintenance, until the plan is submitted to the congressional defense committees; and (2) Office of the Secretary of Defense, Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide, until the certification is submitted or budget materials supporting the 31-ship requirement are provided. (Amphibious warfare ships, as defined in 10 U.S.C. §8062(h), include amphibious assault ships, amphibious transport docks, dock landing ships, and expeditionary sea bases or transfer ships.)

This section defines “temporarily unavailable” with respect to amphibious warfare ships under the Navy’s statutory requirement to maintain at least 31 operational amphibious warfare ships (10 U.S.C. 8062(b)). A ship qualifies as temporarily unavailable if it has not exceeded its planned maintenance availability by a margin greater than (1) 100% of the nominal duration in 2026 or 2027; (2) 75% in 2028 or 2029; (3) 50% in 2030 or 2031; or (4) 25% in 2022 or any year thereafter. (Thus, greater overruns beyond these thresholds disqualify ships from the temporary exclusion, potentially requiring the Navy to count them against the 31-ship minimum.)

This section directs the Secretary of the Air Force, concurrent with the President's annual budget request for FY2027 under 31 U.S.C. 1105, to submit to the congressional defense committees and Comptroller General of the United States (1) accountability matrices for the B-21 bomber aircraft program covering program goals, execution milestones, and performance metrics in six-month increments (subdivided by technology readiness levels, engine maturity, software development, manufacturing progress, system verification and testing, reliability and maintainability, and operations and sustainment) and (2) current estimates of the program's average procurement unit cost, acquisition unit cost, and life-cycle costs. It further requires cost matrices expressing total costs for the engineering and manufacturing development phase and production lots under both the Air Force service cost position and the prime contractor's estimate, phased over the full period and subdivided by categories including air vehicle, propulsion, mission systems, software, systems engineering, program management, testing, support and training, contract fee, engineering changes, direct mission support, and government testing. The section requires semiannual updates to the matrices not later than 180 days after the initial FY2027 submission and concurrent with each subsequent annual budget request under 31 U.S.C. 1105 (and 180 days thereafter), detailing progress toward goals and providing updated cost estimates; directs the Comptroller General to conduct not less frequently than annual reviews of the matrices and submit assessments to the committees identifying cost, schedule, or performance trends; and repeals section 238 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (which required semiannual B-21 program certification reports).

This section directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit to the congressional defense committees, not later than 180 days after the date of enactment, a comprehensive roadmap detailing the planned force structure, basing, modernization, and transition strategy for the Air Force bomber aircraft fleet through FY2040. The roadmap must include (1) a schedule and rationale for B-1 bomber divestment, including location-specific retirements, infrastructure disposition, and capability gap mitigation; (2) a B-21 bomber transition plan, including basing, training, sustainment, operational concepts, initial operational capability, and full operational capability timelines; (3) a strategy for integrating Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units into B-21 operations, including force structure, association, training, and mobilization models; (4) updates on B-52 modernization efforts (i.e., engine replacement, radar upgrades, digital integration) and expected service life through the 2050s; and (5) a detailed timeline of milestones, decision points, resourcing, risks, and coordination for elements (1) through (4). The roadmap, which shall be unclassified but may include a classified annex, must support a transition to a modernized, dual-capable (nuclear and conventional) bomber force ensuring long-range strike, survivability, and deterrence, with a minimum of 100 B-21 aircraft as directed by prior Acts of Congress.

This section requires the Secretary of the Air Force to submit to the congressional defense committees, not later than 180 days after the date of enactment, a comprehensive roadmap detailing the strategic plan for the development, acquisition, modernization, and integration of Air Force intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The roadmap shall include (1) a strategic assessment of current and projected ISR requirements across air, space, and cyberspace domains; (2) an inventory of current ISR platforms, sensors, and data-processing systems, including mission capabilities, operational status, and expected service life; (3) a plan for modernizing or divesting legacy airborne ISR systems, with justifications; (4) an outline of planned investments in emerging ISR technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, space-based ISR, and autonomous or remotely piloted platforms; (5) an assessment of ISR data integration into command and control networks and interoperability with joint, interagency, and allied partners; (6) a risk assessment of capability gaps, threats, and mitigation strategies; (7) a description of roles and responsibilities for Air Force ISR components; and (8) a proposed timeline and milestones for implementation over the next 10 fiscal years. The roadmap shall be submitted in unclassified form but include a classified annex.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to submit to the appropriate congressional committees annual reports on the implementation of the Department of Defense unified datalink strategy (i.e., a plan to standardize tactical datalink communications across DoD platforms for enhanced interoperability), beginning not later than 180 days after the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 and annually thereafter through December 31, 2032.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan for a Federal Government-controlled open mission systems computing environment on Department of Defense F-35 aircraft. The plan must (1) enable software portability between F-35, F-22, and Next Generation Air Dominance platforms; (2) minimize integration work required by the prime contractor for new or changed software; (3) eliminate or minimize airworthiness impacts from software changes; (4) enable rapid processor upgrades; (5) leverage a government reference architecture; (6) ensure government control of airworthiness, security, technical documentation, and data rights; (7) connect to all relevant aircraft apertures for current and future combat needs, including ethernet cockpit connectivity; (8) use modern commercial software languages for reliable, high-throughput, low-latency operations; and (9) apply to all F-35 blocks and variants. The Secretary of the Air Force must submit the plan in a report to the congressional defense committees by July 1, 2026 (unclassified form, with classified annex option).

This section modifies the prohibition on retirement of F-15E aircraft under 10 U.S.C. §9062(l)(1) by shortening the end date to September 30, 2027 (from September 30, 2029), and reducing the applicable number of aircraft to 34 (from 68). This section further repeals the prohibition on retirement of F-15E aircraft in subsection (a) of Section 150 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118-159).

This section prohibits the Department of Defense from obligating or expending FY2026 funds to retire, prepare to retire, or divest A–10 Thunderbolt II aircraft (i.e., Air Force close air support aircraft) to an inventory level below 103 aircraft. The Secretary of the Air Force may waive the prohibition for a specific unit after submitting to the congressional defense committees a certification of a detailed recapitalization plan—including follow-on mission assignments, aircraft reallocation, personnel adjustments, and community impact mitigation—and after 30 days have elapsed following submission. The section defines "retire" to include permanent removal from operational inventory, reassignment to storage, or placement into backup aircraft inventory or excess status.

This section requires the Secretary of the Air Force, notwithstanding any prior limits on primary mission aircraft inventory (PMAI), to retain operational KC-135 Stratotankers as PMAI as they are replaced by KC-46 aircraft to meet air refueling requirements of the Air Force and U.S. Transportation Command. (Thus, the provision effectively expands the Air Force's air refueling fleet capacity.) It further requires the Secretary to reassign such retained KC-135s to Air Refueling Wings able to expand their KC-135 PMAI fleets based on manning capacity and pilot training support.

This section (1) extends the minimum inventory requirement for C–130 aircraft to 2028 (from 2025); (2) extends the prohibition on reductions to C–130 aircraft assigned to the National Guard to 2028 (from 2025); and (3) requires the Secretary of the Air Force to submit to the congressional defense committees, not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act and annually thereafter through FY2028, reports detailing the total number and variant types of C–130 aircraft in the Air Force inventory, any planned retirements, divestments, or reductions; modernization and recapitalization efforts, including block upgrades and procurement schedules; and planned basing actions for fielding C–130J aircraft to recapitalize C–130H aircraft.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to solicit from industry information on acquiring services of airplanes—under civilian development as of June 2025, capable of carrying space launch vehicles and other Department of Defense articles up to 300 feet long not readily transportable by existing aircraft, able to enter service by December 31, 2035, and able to provide 2,000 to 7,500 hours of large and oversized fixed-wing air cargo transportation services annually for two to five years thereafter to support Department readiness and logistics—and to submit a report on the results to the congressional defense committees by April 1, 2026.

This section extends the prohibition on certain reductions to B-1 bomber aircraft squadrons through September 30, 2030 (from September 30, 2026).

This section prohibits the Air Force from obligating or expending FY2026 funds to retire, prepare to retire, place in storage, or place in backup inventory any E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft if such actions would reduce the total E-3 inventory below 16 aircraft. The prohibition does not apply (1) beginning 30 days after the Secretary of the Air Force submits to the congressional defense committees a plan for maintaining E-3 readiness and ensuring no lapse in mission capabilities; or (2) after delivery of sufficient E-7 Wedgetail aircraft procured by the Secretary to accomplish the required mission load. (The E-3 fleet provides airborne command, control, communications, and battle management for tactical and air defense operations; the E-7 Wedgetail is its planned successor.)

This section authorizes appropriations for FY2026 for Department of Defense research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E), as specified in the funding table in section 4201.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, for FY2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, to ensure all funding opportunities under Program Element 0601228D8Z (or successor)—the Department of Defense's research and education program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) that builds research capacity at such institutions for defense-related projects—include separate funding solicitations: (1) for HBCUs and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs); and (2) for MSIs that are not HBCUs or TCUs. (Thus, TCUs receive dedicated opportunities alongside HBCUs, separate from other MSIs.)

This section establishes a permanent program, administered jointly by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretaries of the military departments, to enhance research, development, test, and evaluation centers of the Department of Defense—including science and technology reinvention laboratories, Major Range and Test Facility Base centers, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Defense Innovation Unit, the Strategic Capabilities Office, and the Office of Strategic Capital—by demonstrating more effective technology development and function management methods. It requires the head of each eligible center to propose and implement innovative approaches for management, operations, rapid project delivery, prototyping, and partnerships (e.g., with universities and private sector entities) to increase research and development efficiencies, improve supporting activities such as facility and personnel management, and accelerate warfighter capability deployment, unless disapproved in writing within 60 days by the relevant Assistant Secretary of a military department or the Deputy Secretary of Defense. It authorizes heads of eligible centers to waive any Department of Defense regulation, policy, procedure, or instruction to implement such methods, unless prohibited by federal statute or common law. This section also repeals section 233 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328), which authorized the prior pilot program.

This section extends authority for assignment to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of private sector personnel with critical research and development expertise through September 30, 2030 (from September 30, 2025).

This section prohibits the obligation or expenditure of funds authorized by this Act for the Navy's autonomy baseline manager or common control system unless (1) the Secretary of the Navy submits to the congressional defense committees the original and current schedules and cost estimates for key capability deliverables (including total program funding received), reports from all test and experimentation events (comparing performance to alternative industry capabilities), the unaltered Defense Innovation Unit market assessment of industry capabilities relative to these Navy systems, and an assessment that the program delivers new capabilities at a pace and quality meeting or exceeding industry standards; and (2) the Chief of Naval Operations validates to the committees that the program meets Navy operational user needs.

This section limits the obligation or expenditure of funds authorized to be appropriated for FY2026 for operation and maintenance, Defense-wide, and available to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering for travel purposes to 80% until the Under Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees the report required by section 245(d) of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159). (Thus, 20% of such travel funds are withheld pending report submission.)

This section prohibits a covered institution (i.e., an institution of higher education conducting Department of Defense-funded research) from entering into a contract with a covered nation or foreign entity of concern beginning January 1, 2027. The section authorizes the Secretary of Defense to issue a waiver of the prohibition upon a covered institution's request submitted at least 120 days before entering the contract, which must include the full proposed contract text (translated into English if necessary) and a signed statement demonstrating benefits to the institution's mission, students, and U.S. security, stability, and economic vitality. Waivers apply for an initial one-year period (renewable up to four years total if terms remain unchanged), require the Secretary to notify the institution at least 60 days in advance and Congress at least 15 days prior, and base approval on factors including the foreign entity's designation reasons, history with U.S. institutions, and potential national security risks. (Thus, failure to renew terminates the contract after one year.) For contracts in effect before January 1, 2027, the Secretary notifies congressional defense committees within 90 days of enactment, with renewal requests allowed under the same waiver process. If a contract partner is redesignated as covered during the term, the institution must terminate the contract within 120 days of notification or immediately request a waiver.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to carry out a demonstration of a joint multi-domain kinetic and non-kinetic testing and training environment by interconnecting existing ranges and training sites in the western states across military departments to improve joint multi-domain training and support testing, research, and development. The demonstration must prioritize existing ranges and capabilities (unless gaps are identified); include specified activities such as electromagnetic spectrum operations, electromagnetic warfare, operations blending kinetic and non-kinetic effects, operations in the information environment, Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2), and information warfare (i.e., intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; offensive and defensive cyber operations; electromagnetic warfare; space operations; psychological operations; public affairs; and weather operations); and complete an initial demonstration interconnecting ranges or sites of two or more military departments not later than one year after enactment (subject to appropriations availability). Not later than 180 days after enactment, the Secretary must brief the congressional defense committees on a phased implementation plan (including the initial demonstration), its alignment with the 2020 Department of Defense Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority Strategy, and its support for high-periodicity training, testing, research, and development. This section terminates on September 30, 2028.

This section modifies requirements under Section 228(b) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (P.L. 118-31) for Department of Defense policies on management and certification of the Link 16 military tactical data link network (i.e., a secure communications system enabling real-time situational awareness and data sharing among military platforms) as follows: (1) expands applicable airspace in paragraph (1)(A) from specific locations (Nevada Test and Training Range, Restricted Area 2508, Warning Areas 151/470 and 386, and Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex) to all military special use airspace, including prohibited areas, restricted areas, warning areas, and military operational areas; (2) revises paragraph (2) to require processes for regular training and large-scale exercises (previously training and large-scale exercises) and to presume approval of Link 16 operations unless denial is accompanied by substantiated evidence of safety compromise due to electromagnetic interference; and (3) inserts "regular" before "training" in paragraph (5).

This section establishes a program to be carried out by the Secretary of the Army to support the maturation and expansion of robotic automation capabilities for munitions manufacturing at government-owned, contractor-operated facilities. The program must pursue specified objectives—(1) designing and integrating safe, scalable robotic load, assemble, and pack systems; (2) demonstrating increased throughput and production capacity while reducing manual handling of energetic materials; (3) developing cyber-hardened data infrastructure for factory-floor and enterprise integration; (4) supporting workforce upskilling in robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing; and (5) evaluating applicability across multiple munition types and industrial base sites—and requires coordination with the Joint Program Executive Office Armaments and Ammunition and other Army components. The Secretary of Defense must provide the congressional defense committees a briefing on the program's progress, lessons learned, and recommendations for wider adoption of such technologies by March 1, 2026.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to establish one or more dual-use advanced manufacturing innovation hubs that co-locate and share resources among public and private stakeholders from industry, academia, government, nongovernmental agencies, and workforce and economic development entities. The hubs must span the full spectrum of advanced manufacturing capabilities across the development timeline from prototyping to fielding and meet the following requirements: (1) utilize, to the maximum extent possible, Department of Defense Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (MIIs)—public-private partnerships that advance specific manufacturing technologies—and encourage MII coordination; (2) provide shared infrastructure and equipment such as high-speed metal printers and material testing laboratories; (3) establish processes to provide advanced manufacturing capability, including in shared classified spaces as needed; (4) utilize, to the maximum extent possible, the Defense Logistics Agency’s Joint Additive Manufacturing Model Exchange (JAMMEX) as a central data repository for technical data packages; (5) build on the Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue Manufacturing Initiative and Blue Manufacturing Marketplace to match defense technology manufacturers with advanced manufacturing providers; and (6) meet annual production benchmarks for defense applications. Not later than September 30, 2026, the Under Secretary of Defense must submit to the congressional defense committees a recommendation on the appropriate number of regional hubs needed to meet Department of Defense sustainment needs, along with required specifications and capabilities.

This section establishes multiple Department of Defense programs to qualify, certify, and produce parts using advanced and additive manufacturing techniques. **(a) Department of Defense Advanced Manufacturing Program.** By December 31, 2027, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, must qualify and approve for manufacturing and delivery not fewer than 1,000,000 parts or components using advanced manufacturing techniques, subject to availability of appropriations, while ensuring expedited adoption processes across DoD components and system lifecycles. **(b) Additive Manufacturing for Unmanned Aerial Systems.** By September 30, 2026, the Secretary must carry out a program to certify materials and processes to manufacture 25 to 100 percent of parts for one of each type of small UAS used as (1) tactical loitering munitions, (2) surveillance and reconnaissance, or (3) logistics missions. **(c) Certification Program for Parts with Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages.** By September 30, 2026, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, in coordination with the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering and military department secretaries, must (1) produce replacement parts for affected military systems using additive manufacturing; (2) select at least five parts for performance-based testing and evaluation; (3) share test data and establish data reciprocity across military departments; (4) compile a list of all such parts; and (5) create new licensing agreements with intellectual property owners to enable additive manufacturing. **(d) Additive Manufacturing of Metal Parts.** The Under Secretary for Acquisition and Sustainment must carry out a program to additively manufacture three commonly used metal parts (e.g., titanium, stainless steel, aluminum) per military department. By September 30, 2026, the Under Secretary must assess additive manufacturing for 10 metal parts per department—prioritizing long-lead-time or sole-source parts—and report findings to the congressional defense committees. **(e) Additive Manufacturing for Ground Combat Systems.** The Under Secretary for Acquisition and Sustainment, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army and Defense Logistics Agency Director, must (1) identify supply chain vulnerabilities in Army ground equipment (including Organic Industrial Base facilities) addressable by additive manufacturing; (2) select and additively manufacture at least five long-lead-time or low-inventory parts; (3) create a critical parts list for ground combat systems; and (4) develop integration plans with Army Futures Command for next-generation combat vehicles, prioritizing interoperability.

This section modifies leadership of three advanced manufacturing bodies by requiring each to be co-chaired by the Under Secretaries of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and for Research and Engineering: (1) the Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel; (2) the Joint Additive Manufacturing Working Group; and (3) the Consortium on Additive Manufacturing for Defense Capability Development established under section 223 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. The section further directs those Under Secretaries, in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments and by September 30, 2026, to (1) develop guidance incorporating advanced manufacturing innovations (covering additive manufacturing, advanced materials, robotics and automation, laser machining and welding, nanotechnology, and network integration, among others) to accelerate delivery of capabilities while prioritizing flexibility, interoperability, domestic sourcing, and partnerships with DoD Manufacturing Innovation Institutes; (2) update Department of Defense Instruction 5000.93 (dated June 10, 2021) to waive recordkeeping requirements for additively manufactured end-items meeting or exceeding traditional part performance; (3) create a manual establishing performance-based technical standards, expedited qualification procedures (per section 865 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025), data reciprocity across military departments, streamlined incremental qualification for design changes, and options for third-party certification; and (4) brief the Senate and House Armed Services Committees by March 1, 2026, on plans for the guidance and instruction updates. (Thus, the manual facilitates shared validation of advanced manufactured parts, reducing redundant testing.)

This section prohibits the obligation or expenditure of funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available to the Department of Defense (DoD) for FY2026 for grants or contracts to an institution of higher education (IHE, as defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965) to conduct fundamental research (as defined in National Security Decision Directive-189) in collaboration with a covered entity. A covered entity is an academic institution on the list developed pursuant to section 1286(c)(9) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (i.e., certain People's Republic of China-linked institutions), including any employee thereof; collaboration includes sharing facilities, data, know-how, financial contributions, fellowships, joint ventures, or other specified activities. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology may waive the prohibition on a case-by-case basis for an individual grant or contract if determined to be in the national security interests of the United States, with notice to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees within 30 days of award. Annually, as a classified or controlled unclassified information annex to the report required by section 1286(f) of the FY2019 NDAA, the Secretary of Defense must submit to the armed services committees a report annex on DoD and IHE compliance, detailing for each waiver the justification, collaborating entities and technologies, duration, and intellectual property terms.

This section establishes the Catalyst Pathfinder Program, a soldier-inspired innovation initiative, requiring the Secretary of the Army to create it not later than January 1, 2027. The program partners operational Army units with national research universities to enable collaboration between university researchers, small businesses, and soldiers on applied research and development, while integrating soldiers into problem identification and solution development to enhance lethality. In implementing the program, the Secretary must (1) establish activities at all active-duty Army divisions to incorporate soldier insights into capability development; (2) create policies streamlining collaboration among soldiers, Army Futures Command, and academic institutions; (3) form a governance board with representatives from research, development, test, and evaluation; acquisition; requirements; industry; and academic communities; (4) promote transitions of successful projects into Army programs; and (5) implement an adaptive experimentation force for technology testing. The program is treated as a research, development, test, and evaluation activity in the Army's Future Years Defense Program input.

This section extends the period for annual reports on critical technology areas supportive of the National Defense Strategy to December 1, 2030 (from December 1, 2025).

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Director of the Test Resource Management Center and in consultation with requirements owners, to evaluate (1) comparative advantages of episodic versus permanent special activity airspace designated by the Federal Aviation Administration for Department of Defense testing and training of long-range and hypersonic systems; and (2) requirements for continental test ranges, including attributes such as live, virtual, and constructive capabilities; scheduling and availability; safety; end strength; facilities, infrastructure, radar, and related systems; specified launch locations (Bearpaw Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspace, Montana; Mountain Home Range Complex, Idaho; Fallon Range Training Complex, Nevada; Utah Test and Training Range, Utah; Nevada Test and Training Range, Nevada; Green River Test Complex, Utah; and White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico); impact areas within White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; and other relevant characteristics. The Secretary must provide the Senate and House Armed Services Committees a briefing on the evaluation findings, including an assessment of the completion date, by December 1, 2026.

This section makes a technical correction by redesignating, in chapter 9 of title 10, United States Code, the section 222e added by section 211 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31) as section 222f.

This section directs the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation to include in the annual report required by 10 U.S.C. §139(h) an assessment of operational and live fire test and evaluation activities for (1) Golden Dome software development, (2) the Joint Fires Network, and (3) the Cryptographic Modernization Program. For any such effort assigned to the software acquisition pathway under 10 U.S.C. §3603 (i.e., a pathway for the efficient acquisition, development, integration, and delivery of software and covered hardware that is not treated as a major defense acquisition program), the Director must instead assess the effort using the alternative test and evaluation pathway established in this Act.

This section prohibits the Secretary of Defense from modifying indirect cost rates (i.e., facilities and administrative cost rates) for Department of Defense grants and contracts awarded to institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations until certifying to the congressional defense committees that (1) the Department, working with the extramural research community, has developed an alternative indirect cost model that reduces such rates for all applicable entities (compared to FY2025 rates) while optimizing payments for legitimate indirect costs to ensure transparency and efficiency; and (2) an implementation plan with adequate transition time for affected entities' budgeting and accounting processes is established. (Thus, current indirect cost rates remain in effect pending certification.)

This section directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to establish a working group to coordinate international activities that facilitate information-sharing, enhance interoperability, explore joint research and development opportunities, identify technology licensing requirements, incorporate advanced manufacturing capabilities into combined trainings and exercises, and set technical expertise and training standards for advanced manufacturing techniques, technologies, and adoption. The working group is to focus on countries with which the United States has reciprocal defense procurement agreements or security of supply arrangements.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to designate, not later than 90 days after enactment, a senior official with relevant biotechnology experience from an existing Department of Defense position to serve as the senior biotechnology official and head of a new Biotechnology Management Office. Not later than 120 days after enactment, the Secretary must establish the office under the Deputy Secretary of Defense's authority to foster development, acquisition, and sustainment of biotechnology capabilities, with responsibilities including (1) maintaining and executing the Defense Biotechnology Strategy and a related roadmap; (2) updating acquisition and adoption policies; (3) coordinating with Department, federal, industry, academic, and international partners; (4) proposing regulatory and acquisition streamlining; (5) conducting global competition analyses and forecasting; (6) supporting public-private partnerships and innovation ecosystems; (7) identifying workforce gaps; and (8) other duties as directed. The section further requires a briefing to the congressional defense committees not later than 30 days after the senior official's designation on the office's charter and first-year plans, and sunsets the office on September 30, 2035.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Under Secretaries of Defense for Research and Engineering and for Acquisition and Sustainment, to submit to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees by June 1, 2026, a strategy on the national security implications of emerging biotechnologies—including biotechnology's future role in defense and means to improve industry, interagency, and international relationships in the sector. The strategy must include the following elements: (1) development and expansion of a network of commercial facilities for biomanufacturing defense-critical products; (2) review and update of military specifications to incorporate or substitute biotechnology-based products; (3) updated plans and policies for advance market commitments and offtake agreements for defense-applicable biotechnology products; (4) incorporation of military-relevant biotechnology applications into wargaming, tabletop exercises, or net assessments; (5) benefits, costs, and implementation of a research grand challenge to make biotechnology predictably engineerable; (6) development of a biotechnology regulation science and technology program, including digital infrastructure for simplified regulation and biometrology tools; (7) updated plans for intergovernmental support to encourage NATO members to aggregate demand and pool purchasing power for biotechnology products; and (8) review of plans to develop, integrate, and disseminate biotechnology research initiatives across NATO members and coordinate with international stakeholders.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to develop, within one year of enactment after coordination with the Under Secretaries of Defense for Research and Engineering, Acquisition and Sustainment, and Policy, as well as industry and academic stakeholders, guidelines and policies on the ethical and responsible development and deployment of biotechnology within the Department of Defense and Armed Forces. The guidelines and policies must include (1) definitions of ethical and responsible biotechnology development and use; (2) related guidelines; (3) informed consent policies for service members; (4) policies on reversibility and heritable effects of biotechnology applications; (5) environmental effects policies; (6) human performance enhancement policies; (7) compliance with the United Nations Biological Weapons Convention and other international agreements on the laws of armed conflict; and (8) other appropriate matters. This section further requires (1) a report to the congressional defense committees within one year outlining the guidelines, policies, and development methodologies, in unclassified form with a possible classified annex; and (2) biennial briefings to those committees on implementation, adjustments, and legislative or administrative recommendations, beginning two years after enactment and concluding by November 1, 2031.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs and in consultation with the Director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), to enter into memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with other federal departments and agencies to clarify roles and responsibilities for building international biodefense capabilities in execution of national security policies, with a focus on U.S. allies. The MOUs must address partner country selection criteria and coordination feasibility. This section further grants the DTRA Director global authority, subject to as-needed review by Department of Defense leadership and relevant combatant commands, to support biodefense capability development in U.S. allies.

This section authorizes appropriations for FY2026 for operation and maintenance expenses, not otherwise provided for, of the Armed Forces and specified Department of Defense activities and agencies, as detailed in the funding table in section 4301.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, not later than 120 days after enactment, to rescind all existing Department of Defense (DoD) directives implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and replace them with a new directive providing uniform guidance that all DoD components must follow, including compliance with NEPA requirements and updated guidelines from title III of division C of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (Public Law 118–5). The section further requires the Secretary, not later than 90 days after enactment, to designate a DoD official responsible for implementing the new directive and ensuring timely execution of NEPA reviews without unnecessary regulatory delays. (Thus, the provision aims to standardize and expedite DoD's NEPA processes.) Nothing in the section amends or overrides NEPA.

This section requires Department of Defense support for National Guard training on wildfire prevention and response (previously permissive, changing "may" to "shall" in Section 351 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (32 U.S.C. 501 note)).

This section authorizes the Secretary of Defense to use expeditionary solid waste disposal systems to destroy illicit contraband, including seized counterfeit materials, unauthorized military gear, and classified materials. Such systems must be equipped to support border security and contraband elimination operations and made available to military installations, forward operating bases, and partner security forces to counter infiltration and unauthorized use of U.S. military assets. The section prohibits the use of open-air burn pits to dispose of illicit contraband, classified military equipment, or hazardous waste materials.

This section modifies the use of operational energy cost savings under the Department of Defense energy cost savings program (10 U.S.C. 2912) by replacing the prior requirement to use such savings for additional operational energy resilience, efficiencies, mission assurance, energy conservation, or energy security with a broader requirement to use them for operational energy initiatives; requires the Secretary of Defense to design those initiatives to advance departmental objectives in energy resilience and fuel efficiency; and specifies that such initiatives may enhance mission and combat capabilities, fund operational environment training, or establish programs incentivizing further energy reductions within the realizing entity. The section further requires the Secretary to transfer available energy cost savings amounts not later than 60 days after notification (previously permissive). Finally, the section defines operational energy cost savings as monetary savings from measures reducing energy expenditures relative to the amount needed to sustain equivalent capability. (As background, the program allows DoD to retain energy cost savings—realized through efficiencies, including shared savings contracts—for two years without new authorization, splitting non-operational savings between energy/security projects and installation quality-of-life improvements.)

This section authorizes the Secretary of Defense to destroy or dispose of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—persistent "forever chemicals" used in military applications—using innovative technologies that are cost-effective and permitted or approved by a federal or state agency regulating such destruction or disposal. The section also requires the Secretary to update the Department of Defense's PFAS Destruction and Disposal Guidance, or any successor guidance, to reflect these requirements.

This section modifies the prohibition on Department of Defense (DOD) procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) for firefighters—previously applicable if such equipment contains intentionally-added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—to instead apply unless the equipment meets specifications in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1970 (i.e., Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting). (1) It revises subsection (a) accordingly; and (2) it makes conforming changes in subsection (d) to the criteria for PPE waivers and definitions (from no intentionally-added PFAS to NFPA Standard 1970 compliance).

This section requires the Secretary of Defense, on and after the date of enactment, to provide bottled water to communities with private drinking water wells contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from Department of Defense activities if contamination exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level at any point and bottled water was being provided to the community the day before enactment. The requirement terminates if all impacted households connect to a municipal drinking water system or the Secretary remediates the contamination to meet or exceed federal and state drinking water standards.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, consistent with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), to address releases or threatened releases of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at covered facilities (i.e., military installations subject to 10 U.S.C. 2701(c)). Specifically, the section requires (1) expeditious preliminary assessments or site investigations if not previously conducted, with a presumption of release at facilities that have or had a fire training pit or similar facility; (2) analysis of potential interim response actions to reduce public exposure, including provision of bottled water, connection to public water systems, or filtration systems for public or private water; (3) availability of assessments for review by the EPA Administrator, relevant state and tribal governments, and the public for at least 60 days; and (4) expedited implementation of selected actions, with priority for facilities in sole or principal drinking water source areas designated under the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300h-3(e)). (Thus, these measures supplement ongoing CERCLA cleanup at military sites where PFAS from aqueous film-forming foam has contaminated groundwater.) The section further requires the Secretary to submit to the congressional Armed Services Committees (1) an initial report within 270 days after enactment identifying the status of required assessments at covered facilities and (2) a final report within one year after enactment detailing selected interim actions, projected timelines, and reasons for rejecting any considered actions.

This section directs the Secretary of the Navy to implement processes to improve the materiel condition and combat readiness of Navy surface ships maintained and repaired at private shipyards by ensuring a stable and responsive industrial base. The section requires (1) designating type commanders (i.e., flag officers such as Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic) as primary authorities over sustainment, with oversight of all private shipyard maintenance and regional maintenance centers (e.g., Norfolk, San Diego) in a supporting role; (2) authorizing joint decision-making on maintenance work by each ship's project manager, port engineer, and commanding officer, with direct reporting to type commanders and contracting officer support; (3) providing stable workloads via multi-year, multi-ship contracts by ship class to maintain shipyard workforces and facilities; (4) assigning specific shipyards multi-year contracts for repeated maintenance on designated ships; (5) collaborative planning among shipyards, alterations teams, and Navy personnel; (6) multi-year teaming between large and small shipyards, with guaranteed work percentages for small shipyards; (7) establishing rotatable spare parts pools procured in advance; (8) training program managers and port engineers for specific ship classes; (9) allocating annual funds to sustain shipyard workforces and facilities; and (10) issuing guidance on small business set-asides. The Secretary must submit a report to the congressional defense committees within 180 days of enactment detailing implementation plans, funding, timelines (including pilots), and success metrics (e.g., on-time completion, cost control, readiness). This section sunsets on January 1, 2031.

This section directs the Secretary of the Navy to investigate, qualify, approve, integrate, and adopt advanced technologies and processes for surface ship maintenance on an expedited timeline to enhance readiness, reduce costs, and address delays. It requires prioritizing qualification of 23 specified technologies and processes (e.g., automated weld inspection, digital twin technology, autonomous underwater vehicles). The section establishes an open process for private entities to submit proposals for additional technologies, requires evaluation of such proposals within 90 days based on technical merit and Navy needs, and mandates third-party review (with a report to Congress within 90 days) for any rejected proposals. It further requires the Secretary to update relevant policies and contracts for integration; permits prioritization based on operational needs, budget, and compatibility (with justifications); and requires a report to Congress within 180 days of enactment detailing qualification timelines, estimated implementation dates, or justifications for non-pursuit for all specified and additional technologies.

This section delegates to the United States Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) responsibility, on and after a date recommended under subsection (c)(2)(B)(v), for (1) mitigating vulnerabilities and risks associated with contested logistics for the Department of Defense (DoD) on a global basis; and (2) planning and operations of the Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise (JDDE)—DoD's primary logistics system for deploying and distributing forces and materiel—relating to contested logistics across all domains, including movement from source of supply to the combatant commander's point of need. (TRANSCOM must coordinate with the Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, military department secretaries, combatant commanders, Defense Logistics Agency director, Director of National Intelligence, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Secretary of Transportation.) This section further requires (1) an interim briefing 180 days after enactment and a final briefing one year after enactment on the report required under subsection (c); and (2) a report to the congressional defense committees one year after enactment—in classified form if necessary, with an unclassified executive summary—providing a gap assessment of JDDE's ability to project, maneuver, and sustain the joint force in contested environments (i.e., where adversaries seek to deny, disrupt, destroy, or defeat friendly logistics). The report must include descriptions of current JDDE responsibilities and adversary threats; protections for JDDE operations and command-and-control systems; and recommendations for statutory, authority, resource, responsibility, and process changes to establish TRANSCOM as the lead for global contested logistics, including a recommended assumption date no later than one year after report submission. This section includes a rule of construction stating that, except to the extent a specified responsibility was a specific function of listed agencies before January 1, 2026, it does not limit those agencies' other functions or require transfers of functions, personnel, or assets to TRANSCOM.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to (1) require all Department of Defense aircraft operating near commercial airports to be equipped with position broadcast technology and develop standard operating procedures to maximize its use; (2) develop a program for sharing aviation safety data—including near misses and mishaps—with the Federal Aviation Administration; and (3) submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives (A) an initial report within 180 days of enactment on near misses with commercial aircraft over the preceding 10-year period and (B) annual reports through 2030 on near misses in the previous fiscal year. Each report must include, for covered near misses, the date, time, and location; descriptions of aircraft involved; and any resulting changes to protocols, procedures, or policy, and must be unclassified but may include a classified annex.

This section extends the requirement for semiannual briefings on the operational status of the Navy's amphibious warship fleet through September 30, 2028 (from September 30, 2026) and modifies the briefing content to include (1) details on maintenance and service life extension plans for amphibious warships that retain operational availability until the Obligation and Work Limiting Date for the construction contract of a replacement warship and (2) an assessment of how such plans meet the statutory minimum of 31 operational amphibious warfare ships, including at least 10 amphibious assault ships, under 10 U.S.C. §8062(b).

This section prohibits the Secretary of Defense from closing, mothballing, divesting, deactivating, or otherwise rendering inoperable any facility in the Army organic industrial base—defined as the network of government-owned facilities providing manufacturing, maintenance, storage, and readiness support for Army materiel and munitions (including those listed in the Army Organic Industrial Base Modernization Implementation Plan, dated April 12, 2022)—unless (1) a similar or replacement facility has already been created and (2) the action is authorized under this section or by an Act of Congress. The prohibition applies to all such facilities, whether government-owned/government-operated or government-owned/contractor-operated. This section authorizes exceptions for (1) suspending operations or limiting access at a facility to address imminent health/safety threats or substantial environmental hazards, requiring a report to the congressional defense committees within 15 days; and (2) a national security waiver by the Secretary of Defense if necessary for a critical U.S. national security interest, requiring notification to the committees at least 30 days in advance with justification, impact assessment, and mitigation measures. (Thus, these facilities are protected from unilateral closure or reduction absent replacement, congressional approval, or specified emergencies/waivers.) This section requires the Secretary of the Army to submit to the congressional defense committees, not later than 120 days after enactment and annually thereafter for five years, a report on the status of all Army organic industrial base facilities, including their operational status, planned mission/workload/operating changes, planned investments/divestments, and any actions taken under the safety exception or national security waiver in the prior year.

This section establishes the Defense Personal Property Management Office—which oversees the shipment and storage of service members' household goods during permanent changes of station—within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness not later than one year after enactment and directs the Under Secretary to assume all functions, personnel, and other matters of the office. The section further requires (1) the Secretary of Defense to prescribe implementing regulations within 30 days after enactment and (2) the Under Secretary to brief the Armed Services Committees of the Senate and House on the implementation plan and timeline within 60 days after enactment.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to facilitate integration of currently available commercial artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities—specifically designed for logistics tracking, planning, operations, and analytics—into two suitable Department of Defense exercises during FY2026. The section requires the Secretary, in coordination with relevant combatant commanders, to select a commercial AI product that addresses DoD logistics needs, meets specified data security protocols (including cybersecurity compliance and protection of classified information), provides agile responses to software changes, and prioritizes offerings from small or nontraditional software firms; it also requires expedited approvals for secure use of DoD data by the provider. The section further requires (1) an interim briefing to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees by March 1, 2026, detailing the selected exercises and participants, AI tool and contract, timelines and resources, and efficacy metrics; and (2) a post-exercise briefing from the overseeing combatant commander within 30 days of completion, covering integration overview, impacts on unit readiness and operational success, and recommendations for future AI use.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to establish, not later than 90 days after enactment, a five-year Arsenal Workload Sustainment Pilot Program to sustain workloads at government-owned Army arsenals through public-private partnerships. In procurement actions or solicitations, the Secretary must prefer non-public partners (i.e., nongovernmental corporations, individuals, universities, or nonprofits) using such arsenals, with further preference for those ensuring equitable workshare by Department of Defense employees to protect organic industrial base skills; the Secretary must prescribe implementing regulations within 90 days. Not later than one year after enactment, the Secretary must submit to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees and Defense Appropriations Subcommittees a report on program activities and challenges, including prior-year workload by budget accounts, assessments of future procurement needs irrespective of cost, expected workloads during the future-years defense program period, and required capital investments at each arsenal.

This section modifies the report on improved oversight for implementation of the Navy's Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP)—a program to recapitalize infrastructure at the four public naval shipyards—by requiring coverage of the incorporation of digital infrastructure (including hardware, software, and cloud storage) and platforms into the program.

This section modifies the Department of Defense quarterly readiness report to Congress to include Class A and Class B mishaps and a summary count of all Class C mishaps (from Class A, Class B, and Class C mishaps).

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to submit to the congressional Armed Services Committees annual reports, beginning one year after enactment, on funding budgeted and obligated and the status of interim remedial actions related to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at Department of Defense (DoD) installations on a per-site basis. Each report must detail changes since the prior report; phase-specific status (i.e., design, contracting, construction, operation); timelines and delays exceeding one year with explanations; and barriers with mitigation plans. (Thus, the reports codify new oversight of DoD's PFAS cleanup efforts at contaminated military sites, primarily from aqueous film-forming foam.) This section further directs the Secretary to submit to the congressional defense committees, within 180 days after enactment, a PFAS remediation acceleration strategy that includes (1) prioritization criteria for installations based on health risks, environmental impact, and community proximity; (2) timelines for cleanup phases under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA); (3) a resource deployment plan identifying the number of DoD Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program-accredited and accrediting PFAS testing labs; and (4) performance benchmarks for military departments and defense agencies. This section also requires the Secretary, within one year after enactment, to establish and semiannually update a public online dashboard summarizing site-by-site PFAS funding and expenditures, remediation status and timelines, and community engagement contacts.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Defense to use amounts appropriated to the Department of Defense for Major Force Program-11 to procure sports foods and third-party certified dietary supplements for distribution to members of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The section requires compliance with specified criteria, including (1) third-party certification of dietary supplements by a non-Department organization vetted by the Operation Supplement Safety program to confirm the absence of Department-prohibited contaminants, ingredients, or substances; (2) absence of such prohibited items in sports foods; and (3) acquisition and distribution under the guidance of a primary care sports medicine physician by credentialed registered performance dietitians or medical clinicians with prescribing authority at the operational unit level, in accordance with Department of Defense Instruction 6130.06 and the Prohibited Dietary Supplement Ingredients List (or successors). The section clarifies that this authority does not augment morale, welfare, and recreation funds or dining facility budgets or services; directs a report to the congressional defense committees by September 30, 2026, assessing the feasibility and advisability of expanding the authority to the military departments; and defines "dietary supplement" as under section 201(ff) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321(ff)) with a Supplement Facts Panel, and "sports foods" as food products intended to deliver essential energy and nutrients for USSOCOM combat and medical readiness with a Nutrition Facts Panel.

This section limits the obligation or expenditure of funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for Major Force Program 11 for United States Special Operations Command to establish or expand a Space Force Special Operations Component Command until 30 days after the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict and the Commander of United States Special Operations Command (in consultation with the Chief of Space Operations) jointly submit a required report to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees. The report must include, at a minimum, (1) an articulation of the requirement for such a command; (2) a funding profile across the future-years defense program under 10 U.S.C. §221, delineating funds required under Major Force Program 2 (Space Systems) and Major Force Program 11; (3) a timeline and conditions for initial and full operational capability; (4) required military, civilian, and contractor personnel at initial and full operational capability; (5) required facilities at initial and full operational capability; (6) documentation of Secretary of Defense and Assistant Secretary approval; (7) administrative and command relationships with United States Special Operations Command, United States Space Command, and the Space Force; and (8) other relevant matters.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense, for any renegotiation of the current Global Household Goods Contract (GHGC)—which provides for the transportation of service members' household goods during permanent changes of station (PCS)—or negotiation of a new contract under the GHGC or any successor program, to include in the final contract agreement 11 specified oversight mechanisms concerning prime contractor management of subcontractors. Those mechanisms are: (1) submission of a summary document on key subcontract terms (including guaranteed capacity, performance metrics, monitoring provisions, termination clauses, data security); (2) subcontractor provision of compliance certifications and training records upon request; (3) regular performance reports on subcontractors (covering on-time pickup/delivery, damage claims, customer satisfaction, contract compliance); (4) submission of a subcontractor management plan; (5) maintenance of a risk management plan for network disruptions; (6) monthly submission of the subcontractor rating system and scores; (7) submission of subcontractor rates for each move; (8) establishment of escalation procedures for performance issues; (9) federal audit access to subcontractor records; (10) a fixed-price contract line item for monthly overhead, separate from move costs; and (11) a real-time-accessible compliance database. The section further directs the Secretary, for any successor GHGC contract, to consider during acquisition and execution strategy development: (1) fixed-price monthly overhead; (2) Federal Acquisition Regulation contracts for lanes exceeding 1% of total PCS volume and tender-of-service contracts for others; (3) tiered incentives for capacity; and (4) a real-time compliance database. The Secretary may incorporate prime contractor proposals into such contracts if they ensure advertised performance capabilities.

This section prohibits the Army from obligating or expending FY2026 appropriated funds to solicit proposals or award contracts for transforming the Initial Entry Rotary Wing (IERW) training program—the Army's primary helicopter pilot training—at Fort Rucker, Alabama, until the Secretary of the Army certifies completion of the following: (1) the Part 141 Helicopter Flight School Training Pilot proof-of-concept by the Army and FAA, including all three phases (Phases 1 and 2 of IERW and Phase 3 Warfighter Tactical Training) and evaluation of six classes of eight students each (48 total), scheduled for completion in May 2026; (2) full assessment by the Secretary of the pilot's outcomes on cost, operational effectiveness, safety, and training efficacy; (3) submission to the congressional defense committees of a report detailing pilot results and rationale for any proposed changes; (4) an independent assessment by the Office of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation of the Office of the Secretary of Defense analyzing aviator production costs under current versus pilot models, outsourcing risks and benefits, existing ecosystem total costs, and cost-mitigation measures; (5) submission to the committees of a report with that assessment's results and justification for proceeding; and (6) a briefing to the committees on pilot outcomes, cost-effectiveness and readiness impacts, procurement recommendations, and the Secretary's proposed course of action.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Air Force to convey, at no cost to the United States, all right, title, and interest in five surplus T-37B trainer aircraft and any available spare parts to the Arizona Aviation Historical Group in Phoenix, Arizona. The Group must bear all costs of the conveyance, determining compliance with its terms, and operating and maintaining the aircraft.

This section prohibits the use of funds authorized to be appropriated to the Army for FY2026 to restructure Army commands until the Secretary of the Army submits to the congressional armed services committees a report on the proposed integration of the Joint Munitions Command and Army Sustainment Command. The report must include (1) a detailed comparison of prior organizational structures with the proposed integration construct, including changes to reporting chains, leadership roles, and workforce; (2) the planned implementation timeline; (3) any planned changes to personnel numbers, duty locations, or responsibilities; (4) a mission justification for the integration; and (5) an assessment of short-term and long-term impacts on Army and Department of Defense readiness for the commands' missions, along with mitigation plans.

This section limits the obligation or expenditure of FY2026 operation and maintenance funds, Air Force, available to the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for travel to 80% until the Secretary of the Air Force, in consultation with the Commander of U.S. Strategic Command, submits to the congressional defense committees a report on the Air Force's acquisition strategy to maintain Airborne Command Post (ACP) capability. The report must include (1) options to expand production of the C-130J-30 Super Hercules to provide additional airframes to preserve ACP capability and (2) an outline of the future relationship between ACP capability and the Secondary Launch Platform–Airborne effort.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of the Navy and the Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, to establish a pilot program for the contracted operation of commercial amphibious aviation resources (i.e., aircraft capable of ship-to-shore troop and equipment transport) available for mission tasking by combatant commanders and other Department of Defense components within the United States Indo-Pacific Command's area of responsibility. The Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command must establish a process for timely fielding and adjudicating mission requests under the program, with the authority terminating three years after enactment.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to implement naming recommendations adopted by the Commission for Department of Defense assets in Virginia not later than 30 days after enactment. The section prohibits the Secretary from changing any such adopted name. (In this section, the Commission refers to the commission established under section 370(b) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283; 10 U.S.C. 113 note), which recommended renaming DoD assets previously honoring Confederate figures.)

This section modifies authorities under 10 U.S.C. §130i for the Department of Defense (DoD) to counter unmanned aircraft system (UAS) threats to covered facilities and assets (i.e., military installations and other specified sites) by (1) expanding notwithstanding clauses to specify exceptions from 18 U.S.C. §§32, 1030, and 1367 and chapters 119 and 206; (2) authorizing contractors, in addition to officers and civilian employees, to conduct such actions; (3) requiring UAS detection under subsection (b)(1)(A) to occur during UAS operation and authorizing warnings under subsection (b)(1)(B) through remote identification broadcasts or other means; (4) subjecting seized UAS to civil, criminal, or administrative forfeiture procedures under applicable law; (5) directing DoD regulations and guidance to consider privacy and civil liberties protections, risks to property and persons, and practicable pre-action warnings (with exceptions for safety, evidence, or legal risks), without limiting armed forces' self-defense rights; (6) requiring communications records from interceptions to be retained no longer than 180 days unless needed for law enforcement, security operations, or litigation, and authorizing disclosures to support other federal counter-UAS activities; (7) establishing a process for claims of property loss, injury, or death arising from counter-UAS actions under 28 U.S.C. chapter 171 and 10 U.S.C. chapter 163; (8) extending a specified date in redesignated subsection (h) to March 1, 2026 (from March 1, 2018); and (9) requiring annual unclassified reports to congressional committees and a public website, beginning 180 days after enactment, detailing counter-UAS activities, violations, privacy protections, and related data.

This section authorizes active duty end strengths for the Armed Forces as of September 30, 2026, as follows: (1) Army, 454,000; (2) Navy, 344,600; (3) Marine Corps, 172,300; (4) Air Force, 321,500; and (5) Space Force, 10,400.

This section authorizes end strengths for Selected Reserve personnel of the reserve components as of September 30, 2026, as follows: (1) Army National Guard of the United States, 328,000; (2) Army Reserve, 172,000; (3) Navy Reserve, 57,500; (4) Marine Corps Reserve, 33,600; (5) Air National Guard of the United States, 106,300; (6) Air Force Reserve, 67,500; and (7) Coast Guard Reserve, 7,000. The end strengths are proportionately reduced for units or individual members on active duty (other than for training) at fiscal year-end and proportionately increased upon their release from active duty.

This section authorizes, as of September 30, 2026, the following end strengths for Reserves on full-time active duty (or, in the case of the National Guard, full-time duty) in support of the reserve components for purposes of organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the reserves: (1) Army National Guard of the United States, 30,845; (2) Army Reserve, 16,511; (3) Navy Reserve, 10,132; (4) Marine Corps Reserve, 2,400; (5) Air National Guard of the United States, 25,982; and (6) Air Force Reserve, 6,311.

This section establishes minimum end strengths for military technicians (dual status)—federal civilian employees required to maintain membership in the reserve component they support—as of the last day of FY2026 for specified reserve components, notwithstanding the civilian workforce management requirements of 10 U.S.C. 129 (which generally prohibits end-strength constraints), as follows: (1) Army National Guard of the United States, 22,294; (2) Army Reserve, 6,492; (3) Air National Guard of the United States, 10,744; and (4) Air Force Reserve, 6,697. The section limits temporary military technicians (dual status) to 25% of these totals and prohibits coercion of such technicians by a state into realignment or conversion to other military status (with no adverse action if declined).

This section sets, for FY2026, the maximum number of members of the reserve components serving on full-time operational support duty under 10 U.S.C. §115(b) as follows: (1) Army National Guard of the United States, 17,000; (2) Army Reserve, 13,000; (3) Navy Reserve, 6,200; (4) Marine Corps Reserve, 3,000; (5) Air National Guard of the United States, 16,000; (6) Air Force Reserve, 14,000.

This section authorizes appropriations for fiscal year 2026 for military personnel expenses of the Armed Forces and specified Department of Defense activities and agencies, as detailed in the funding table in section 4401. It further provides that this authorization supersedes any other authorization of appropriations (definite or indefinite) for such purposes for fiscal year 2026.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense, if removing the Judge Advocate General of the Army, Navy, or Air Force before the end of their four-year term, to notify the Senate and House Armed Services Committees at least five days before the removal takes effect, including a statement of the reason for the removal. (The Judge Advocate General of each military department is the senior uniformed legal adviser to the Secretary and service chief of staff.)

This section establishes new qualifications in Article 6(a) of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) for judge advocates subject to the UCMJ, requiring them to (1) be admitted to practice law before the highest court of a State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia and maintain an active license before such court; (2) be subject to the jurisdiction's disciplinary review process; and (3) comply with other requirements set by the cognizant authority to remain eligible to practice law. It further authorizes the Judge Advocates General of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard, and the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, to suspend noncompliant judge advocates from performing legal duties and prohibits judge advocates and legal officers suspended or disbarred from practicing law in a jurisdiction from performing legal duties (redesignating current subsections (a)-(d) as (b)-(e)). The section also amends UCMJ Articles 27(b) and 24a(b)(1) to require trial counsel, defense counsel, and special trial counsel, respectively, to be judge advocates qualified under new Article 6(a)(1).

This section establishes notification requirements to the congressional defense committees for the removal of an officer's name from a selection board report or promotion list for any reason other than misconduct. Specifically, for regular components, it (1) requires the Secretary of Defense to notify the committees not later than 30 days after such a removal from a selection board report under 10 U.S.C. §618(d) and prior to Senate submission of the promotion list under §624(c), and (2) requires the President to notify the committees not later than 30 days after such a removal from a promotion list under §629(a); for reserve components, it requires the Secretary of Defense to notify the committees not later than 30 days after such a removal from a selection board report under §14111(b) and prior to Senate submission of the promotion list under §12203.

This section modifies limits on general and flag officers on active duty under 10 USC 525 to apply Space Force limits in subsection (a)(5) only to officers on sustained duty orders (previously all general officers) and adds subsection (h)(3) excluding Space Force general officers serving in Space Force active status but not on sustained duty orders (up to two, unless the Secretary of Defense authorizes more with congressional notification). It further amends 10 USC 526 to (1) authorize up to two Space Force general officers on active service for 180-365 days under subsection (c)(2)(D) and (2) exclude Space Force brigadier generals and above pending transition off sustained duty orders for 60 days under new subsection (d)(3). Finally, it adds new 10 USC 20110 authorizing five Space Force general officers in active status but not on sustained duty, with exclusions for those counted under 10 USC 526 or in joint duty (up to two) and temporary 60-day exclusions (extendable by 120 days for up to three) for those released from assignments. (Thus, these changes enable Space Force to maintain up to five additional general officers outside traditional active duty caps while protecting permanent grades from reductions.)

This section temporarily increases, from the date of enactment through September 30, 2027, the percentage limitation in 10 U.S.C. 1370(b)(5)(C) on the number of general and flag officers (i.e., officers retiring in pay grades O-7 or O-8) for whom the Secretary of a military department may reduce or waive the service-in-grade requirement prior to retirement to 15% (from 10%) of the authorized active-duty end strength for that fiscal year for officers of that armed force in the applicable grade.

This section expands the authority to waive limitations on releasing reserve component members from active duty within two years of retirement eligibility to orders specifying a period of less than 365 days (from less than 180 days).

This section directs the Secretary of the Navy to (1) disestablish the Navy Reserve Center system; (2) transfer all Navy reserve administrative readiness functions to Navy reserve unit commanding officers or Navy reserve community directors, as appropriate; and (3) reassign each Navy active or reserve component member assigned to the Navy Reserve Center system as of enactment within the member's active or reserve component or to the inactive reserve, as applicable.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Army, under regulations, to transfer Army National Guard officers and warrant officers between active and inactive status to fill vacancies in federally recognized units—specifically, from active to inactive upon filling a vacancy and from inactive to active to fill a subsequent vacancy. This section authorizes the Secretary of the Air Force, under regulations, to transfer Air National Guard officers between active and inactive status to fill vacancies in federally recognized units—specifically, from active to inactive upon filling a vacancy and from inactive to active to fill a subsequent vacancy. (Thus, these authorities provide flexibility to manage unit manning by drawing from inactive component personnel who maintain National Guard membership without regular drilling obligations.)

This section establishes authority for Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) National Guard personnel—full-time Guard members who organize, administer, recruit for, instruct, and train reserve components under 32 U.S.C. §328—to perform disaster response duties. When a governor declares an emergency due to a disaster, the Secretary of Defense may authorize the governor to direct such personnel to perform those duties (in response to or preparation for the disaster), provided they do not interfere with primary AGR duties and do not exceed 14 days per person per calendar year (unless the President declares a major disaster under the Stafford Act). The section exempts such personnel from federal instrumentality status for liability purposes during these duties (i.e., the United States is not responsible for related claims or judgments) and defines applicable terms, including "State" to encompass Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

This section adds subsection (g) to 32 U.S.C. 710 to direct the treatment of funds received by the National Guard Bureau from a state, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, or the Virgin Islands as reimbursement under that section for use of federal military property issued to the National Guard. (As background, 32 U.S.C. 710 provides for federal ownership of such property, requires the Secretaries of the Army and Air Force to prescribe uniform accountability regulations, and authorizes charging liability for lost, damaged, or destroyed property to individual Guard members or jurisdictions, with certain proceeds previously deposited in the Treasury.) Such funds (1) shall be credited to the appropriation, fund, or account used to incur the obligation or an appropriate currently available appropriation, fund, or account for the same purposes; and (2) may be used by the Department of Defense only for repair, maintenance, or other similar functions directly related to assets used by National Guard units while operating under state active duty status. (Thus, these reimbursements are available to the Department for specified National Guard purposes rather than deposited in the Treasury.)

This section amends limitations on the authority to transfer space functions of the Air National Guard to the Space Force, as provided in Section 514 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118-159), by (1) redesignating subsection (k) as subsection (l); and (2) inserting a new subsection (k) establishing a rule of construction. The new subsection specifies that Section 514 does not authorize the transfer of any member of the Air National Guard of the United States other than on a one-time basis as described in subsection (c) or set future precedent for waiving the applicability of any provision of title 32, United States Code (i.e., governing the National Guard in state or federally funded non-federalized status).

This section establishes that the Chief of Naval Personnel is responsible for the overall management, oversight, and administration of Navy military and civilian employees.

This section revises Disability Evaluation System (DES) procedures—governing physical evaluation board (PEB) determinations of service members' fitness for duty—to expand Secretarial discretion. (a) It amends Section 524 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 by (1) eliminating the requirement to implement specified discretions not later than 90 days after enactment; (2) authorizing the Secretary concerned to require a statement of contention with formal appeals to PEB fitness determinations; and (3) requiring a fitness determination via either records review or impartial appellate hearing, as determined by the Secretary. (b) It further amends 10 U.S.C. §1214 to authorize the Secretary concerned to require a statement of contention with a member's demand for formal PEB proceedings. (As background, the DES determines whether service members with medical conditions are fit for duty and eligible for disability retirement or separation.)

This section authorizes convalescent leave under section 701(m) of title 10, U.S. Code (i.e., leave for service members diagnosed with and recuperating from a medical condition), for academy cadets and midshipmen (i.e., cadets at the U.S. Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, or Coast Guard Academy). It excepts such leave from the provisions otherwise inapplicable to academy cadets and midshipmen and redesignates subsections (c) through (e) as (d) through (f).

This section directs the Secretaries of the military departments, in consultation with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, to establish by 180 days after enactment a status identifier or equivalent recognition denoting combat participation by remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) crew members who conduct operations in direct support of combat missions. (This enables the Department of Veterans Affairs to consider such service appropriately for benefits and services accounting for combat-related service, consistent with traditional combat designators, without requiring the Department of Defense to categorize it as equivalent to physical presence in a combat zone.)

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, not later than one year after enactment, to (1) establish and implement a policy ensuring that registered sex offenders residing or working on military installations are identified to the respective military community, including through agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies as necessary; and (2) submit to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees a report assessing the advisability of designating the Department of Defense as a jurisdiction under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA; 42 U.S.C. 16901 et seq.), which establishes national standards for sex offender registration and community notification.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to submit quarterly reports to the congressional defense committees on the activities, progress, and performance metrics of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO)—which oversees Department of Defense efforts to prevent sexual assaults in the military and support victims—beginning 90 days after enactment and every 90 days thereafter. Each unclassified report (with a possible classified annex) must include (1) updates on SAPRO initiatives and reforms; (2) metrics on reported sexual assault cases by military service and component, including case processing and outcomes; (3) updates on staffing, resourcing, and activities of the Office of Special Trial Counsel; (4) performance metrics and evaluations of prevention programs and training; (5) progress on survivor care, victim advocacy, and commander accountability goals; (6) interagency coordination and alignment with civilian best practices; and (7) challenges, shortfalls, or recommendations for improvements.

This section increases the maximum number of ranked or unranked alternates that each nominator (e.g., Senators, Representatives, Delegates) may submit with a principal candidate for each vacancy at the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, and U.S. Air Force Academy to up to 14 (from 9). It also revises the heading of the U.S. Naval Academy statute to "appointment; numbers, territorial distribution."

This section modifies the distance education requirement for Phase I and Phase II joint professional military education by requiring pathways for reserve component members to complete the course asynchronously and while physically separated from instructors with no in-person attendance required to graduate (previously, only while physically separated from instructors with no in-person attendance required). (Thus, reservists may complete JPME—mandatory intermediate- and senior-level instruction for officers—fully online on their own schedule.)

This section establishes the Army University to integrate all Army professional military education institutions (i.e., schools providing training to officers and personnel) into a single structure for centralized policy, governance, and innovation. Its components include (1) the Army War College, (2) the United States Army Command and General Staff College, (3) the Army Warrant Officer Career College, (4) the Army Management Staff College, (5) the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, and (6) any additional colleges, centers of excellence, or schools designated by the Secretary of the Army.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, not later than 120 days after the date of enactment, to submit to the congressional defense committees a report detailing the Department of Defense's plan to obtain Military Education Level One (MEL-1) credit for the Strategic Thinkers Program (STP), including (1) an assessment of how the STP enhances strategic thought and decision-making; (2) a history of past STP graduate utilization; (3) a plan to identify Department positions best suited for future graduates; (4) measures and authorities to grant MEL-1 credit; (5) recommendations to expand participation among military officers and civilians; and (6) an implementation timeline with resourcing requirements. The section further requires the Secretary to designate a Department office to manage the STP and implement MEL-1 credit, with that office providing annual briefings to the committees on status, effectiveness, and any needed legislative or funding adjustments.

This section amends information-sharing requirements for separating or retiring service members under Section 570F of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (P.L. 116-92; 10 U.S.C. 1142 note)—which transmits their preseparation counseling information to state veterans agencies to connect them to benefits and services—by (1) authorizing members to opt out of such transmittal via a form checkbox, (2) directing the Secretary of Defense to enter into memoranda of understanding or agreements with state veterans agencies to create or modify a Department of Defense system for compliant storage and transfer of the information (i.e., meeting privacy and cybersecurity laws and policies), and (3) limiting state use of transferred information to providing or connecting veterans to benefits and services.

This section requires the Secretaries of the military departments to ensure that all members of the Armed Forces receive annual training on government ethics and standards of conduct. The section further requires training for all such members on (1) the law of armed conflict, (2) rules of engagement, (3) defense support for civil authorities, (4) standing rules for the use of force, and (5) the Code of Conduct—including within 90 days of a mobilization or deployment, as applicable.

This section prohibits the service academies—defined as having the meaning given in 10 U.S.C. §347 (i.e., United States Military Academy, Naval Academy, and Air Force Academy)—from considering race, sex, color, ethnicity, national origin, or religion in admissions decisions.

This section prohibits persons whose sex is male—defined as a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth—from participating in athletic programs or activities designated for women or girls at the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, and the United States Air Force Academy, where athletic programs and activities include all programs provided conditional upon participation with any athletic team. It permits males to train or practice with such programs or activities so long as no female is deprived of a roster spot, opportunity to participate in a practice or competition, scholarship, admission to an educational institution, or any other benefit.

This section repeals restrictions enacted by Section 553 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (P.L. 117-263) and authorizes cadets and midshipmen graduating from the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, or U.S. Air Force Academy to pursue employment as a professional or Olympic athlete if drafted or signing a free agent contract with a professional sports entity. Such graduates incur a five-year service obligation while so employed and, if no longer employed as a professional or Olympic athlete, must serve an additional five years as a regular officer in the active component or repay the cost of their education if ineligible for active service. (As background, service academy graduates are generally required to serve a minimum of five years of active duty following graduation.)

This section expands the factors to be considered by counselors in assigning Transition Assistance Program (TAP) counseling pathways to separating or retiring service members by adding four new factors: (1) the member's child care requirements (including whether a dependent is enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program); (2) the employment status of other adults in the member's household; (3) the location of the member's duty station (including whether the member was separated from family while on duty); and (4) the effects of operating tempo and personnel tempo on the member and the member's household. (As background, TAP provides pre-separation counseling and tracks—such as for employment, education, or entrepreneurship—to facilitate service members' transition to civilian life.)

This section prohibits the Secretary concerned from issuing a policy under 10 U.S.C. §2031(d)(1)(B) that requires a former officer or noncommissioned officer to have more than 8 years of service to serve as a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) instructor. (JROTC is an elective high school program sponsored by the military departments that provides students with military training, leadership development, and citizenship education.)

This section authorizes the Secretary concerned to pay a one-time bonus of up to $10,000 to a member or former member of the Armed Forces who agrees to serve as an instructor for the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC)—a high school program that provides leadership, citizenship, and physical training under military supervision—for at least one academic year. The section requires the Secretary of Defense to brief the congressional defense committees no later than one year after enactment and annually thereafter on the use and effectiveness of the bonuses in increasing JROTC instructors and terminates the authority five years after enactment.

This section increases the minimum and maximum number of Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) units that the military departments must support to not fewer than 3,600 and not more than 4,200 (from not fewer than 3,400 and not more than 4,000). (JROTC units at secondary schools and Job Corps centers provide military instruction of at least three years, leadership training, and instill values of citizenship, service to the United States, and personal responsibility in students above seventh grade.)

This section revises the honorary promotion authority for former or retired members of the armed forces under 10 USC 1563a (i.e., symbolic promotions to grades up to major general or rear admiral (upper half) with no effect on pay or benefits). Specifically, it (1) transfers authority from the Secretary of Defense to the Secretaries of the military departments and requires a favorable recommendation from a board of at least three independent officers convened for that purpose; (2) requires the honorary grade to be commensurate with the member's contributions to the armed forces or national defense; (3) prohibits using the authority solely because the individual was recommended for promotion prior to separation from service; and (4) updates notice requirements in subsections (b) and (c) to apply to the Secretaries of the military departments.

This section designates the last full week of September as the National Week of Military Recruitment and requests the President to issue each year a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe the week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

This section amends sec. 546 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (10 U.S.C. 520 note), which established the future servicemember preparatory course to assist enlistees in improving Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) scores to meet enlistment standards. Specifically, it (1) authorizes the Secretary concerned to exclude from the enlistment percentage limitations of 10 U.S.C. 520(a)—which cap at 4 percent (waivable to 20 percent) nonprior service enlistees scoring in the 10th to 30th AFQT percentile—any person graduating from the preparatory course with an AFQT score at or above the 31st percentile obtained in the same fiscal year and enlistment period as their original active duty enlistment; and (2) revises annual reporting requirements to add metrics on the percentage of nonprior service enlisted accessions scoring below the 31st AFQT percentile upon original enlistment and following preparatory course graduation or reclassification, as applicable, while correcting a typographical error ("prepatory" to "preparatory"). (Thus, military services may enlist more initial low scorers, improve their scores via the course, and exclude course graduates reaching the 31st percentile from the enlistment caps.)

This section revises military recruiter access requirements for local educational agencies as follows: (1) requires the same campus access for recruiting secondary school students at least 17 years of age as provided to prospective employers, institutions of higher education, or other recruiters; (2) requires facilitation, upon recruiter request, of at least four in-person recruitment events per academic year across different grading periods; and (3) requires provision to recruiters of secondary student names, academic grades, addresses, school-provided email addresses, and telephone/mobile phone listings within 60 days of the academic year start and within 30 days of subsequent requests, notwithstanding Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) restrictions on directory information.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense, not later than 60 days after enactment, to ensure Department of Defense (DoD) policies and procedures comply with requirements under the Government Charge Card Abuse Prevention Act of 2012 (i.e., prompt deactivation and closure of government-issued travel charge card accounts upon separation, retirement, or termination of military or civilian personnel). It further requires the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), not later than 180 days after enactment, to submit a report to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees that (1) describes actions taken to verify consistent implementation across military departments and defense agencies, (2) identifies any gaps or inconsistencies in current policy execution, and (3) provides recommendations, if any, to improve compliance, oversight, or prevention of unauthorized card use after personnel separation.

This section revises the calculation of the basic allowance for subsistence (BAS) for enlisted members of the uniformed services by (1) setting the monthly BAS rate equal to the monthly cost of a liberal food plan for a male aged 19 to 50 years (from 20 to 50 years), as determined annually by the Secretary of Agriculture on October 1—reduced for members subject to pay deductions for meals under 37 U.S.C. §1011(b)—and prohibiting any decrease from the prior year's rate; and (2) striking the prior formula (i.e., prior year rate plus the percentage increase in food costs) and the calendar year 2001 baseline rate of $233. (BAS is a non-taxable allowance to offset meal costs for members entitled to basic pay, except enlisted members in basic training.) The section also updates a cross-reference in the special rules for double BAS rates in quarters lacking meal facilities.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to ensure that each pay statement issued to a member of the Armed Forces includes, for each type of pay, allowance, and deduction, a brief plain-language description of (1) the statutory or regulatory authority; (2) the purpose; (3) eligibility criteria; and (4) possible changes in eligibility, including circumstances for suspension, expiration, or modification. The descriptions must be accessible directly on the pay statement and written in language easily understood by individuals without specialized knowledge of military finance, accounting, or law. The requirement applies to pay statements issued on or after 180 days after enactment.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, with respect to the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) under 37 U.S.C. 403 (i.e., monthly allowances for uniformed service members to cover adequate housing costs based on pay grade, dependency status, and geographic location), to (1) improve transparency by developing, annually updating, publicly posting, and distributing a document explaining BAH rate calculations (including methodology and data sources) and by providing that document plus locality-specific rental housing explanations to members upon permanent change of station, assignment, dependency status or grade changes, or other relevant events; (2) consistent with the 14th Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation, develop an alternative BAH rate methodology based on bedrooms in a housing unit and verified occupied rental market data, conduct a pilot program, and set notional rates for 2026 and 2027 in at least 10 military housing areas; and (3) by February 1, 2027, brief the Senate and House Armed Services Committees on specified comparisons of methodologies and notional versus actual rates, statistical confidence levels, 2027 cost estimates, required legislative authorities, and a recommendation on implementation and timing.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, consistent with recommendations of the 14th Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation and not later than 180 days after enactment, to commence a 12-month educational campaign to increase awareness among members of the Armed Forces and their families of monetary and nonmonetary compensation components. The campaign must address, at a minimum, (1) elements of regular military compensation (RMC), as defined in 37 U.S.C. §101(25); (2) special and incentive pays; (3) calculation of retired pay for length of service; (4) educational assistance programs and benefits; (5) health care for active component members and their families; and (6) nonmonetary benefits.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, to review designations of imminent danger pay areas under 37 U.S.C. §351(a)(3)—which qualify service members for $225 per month in additional pay when subject to imminent danger of physical injury due to threat conditions—and report results including any changes to the Armed Services Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives as follows: (1) an initial review commencing by March 1, 2026, with a report due concurrently; (2) subsequent reviews by March 1, 2031, and every five years thereafter, with reports due within 60 days of completion; and (3) any interim changes from reviews conducted between scheduled reports, with reports due within 60 days of the change.

This section amends section 602(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (P.L. 117-81; 37 U.S.C. 357 note) to direct the Secretary of Defense to (1) complete by June 1, 2026, an evaluation of aviation incentive pay under 37 U.S.C. 334—including the percentage, if any, paid specifically to maintain skill certification or proficiency under 37 U.S.C. 357; (2) submit by June 1, 2026, to the Armed Services Committees of the Senate and House a report on the special and incentive pay assessment framework required by the Senate report accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (P.L. 118-31), including the Secretary's plan and timeline for implementation; and (3) begin making aviation incentive payments under 37 U.S.C. 357 by January 1, 2027, pursuant to the evaluation under (1). (Aviation incentive pay under 37 U.S.C. 334 provides monthly payments up to $1,500 to qualified regular and reserve component officers engaged in, or training for, operational or proficiency flying duty.)

This section establishes a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of paying monthly incentive pay to enlisted members of the Armed Forces with less than 4 years of service, a degree in their field of specialty (as determined by the Secretary concerned), and a commitment to reenlist. The Secretary of Defense must implement the program, which the Secretary concerned administers and which terminates 5 years after enactment. After termination, the Secretary of Defense must submit to the congressional defense committees a report assessing the program's effectiveness, including its effects on retention rates, member satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness.

This section extends temporary early retirement authority for warrant officers through December 31, 2030 (from December 31, 2025). As background, the authority—enacted in sec. 4403 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993—allows the Secretary concerned to retire a regular warrant officer, upon request, after at least 15 years of creditable active service (rather than the standard 20 years under 10 U.S.C. 1293), with retirement pay based on a 2.5% multiplier per year of service.

This section directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and the Secretary of the Army, in coordination with the Commander of the United States Army Pacific, to designate United States Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll as a remote and isolated military installation (i.e., as defined in Department of Defense Instructions 1015.10, dated July 6, 2009, and 1015.18, dated May 30, 2024) not later than 30 days after enactment of this Act. (As background, such designations qualify installations for enhanced personnel support, including special pays, transportation allowances, and morale programs due to geographic isolation.) It further requires (1) the Secretary of the Army to notify the congressional defense committees of the designation's completion within 30 days thereafter and (2) the Commander of the United States Army Pacific to brief those committees within 90 days after the notification on resulting adjustments to Department of Defense resourcing and support for the garrison.

This section amends the financial literacy training program for members of the armed forces (10 U.S.C. 992) by (1) authorizing the Secretary concerned to contract with housing counseling organizations certified under section 106(e) of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701x(e)) and other qualified individuals and organizations to provide required housing counseling; and (2) expanding required information under subsection (f)(3) on mortgages to include other financial products related to the purchase or lease of a primary residence and information on fees related to such products.

This section establishes a program to provide Government-funded transportation for unaccompanied members of the Armed Forces serving at least 24 consecutive months, including extensions, at designated overseas duty locations to their homes of record or other comparable- or lesser-cost locations. Transportation may be provided via military space-available air or commercial air, subject to Secretary of Defense regulations on eligibility, implementation, designated locations and destinations, trip limits per tour, restrictions on travel at the start or end of tours, the Department of Defense Foreign Clearance Guide, and prohibitions on using Government travel cards for leisure expenses.

This section prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from procuring seafood originating from or processed in the People's Republic of China (PRC) for military dining facilities—including galleys on U.S. naval vessels—effective 90 days after enactment, subject to exceptions for undue burden at overseas facilities or U.S. vessels in foreign ports and to a waiver by the Secretary of Defense (SecDef). It further amends commissary store merchandise rules (10 U.S.C. §2484) to prohibit sales of PRC-origin raw or processed seafood or seafood products, effective 30 days after enactment (with SecDef waiver and authority for the Defense Commissary Agency director to dispose of existing stock); requires an assessment of commissary compliance with this prohibition in DOD's annual report to Congress on the military resale system; and states that the section's prohibitions and amendments take effect 90 days after enactment. (Commissary stores sell groceries, including seafood, to military personnel and families at cost plus a 5% surcharge.)

This section directs the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the structure and execution of the Armed Forces' casualty assistance and long-term care programs (i.e., programs providing support to families of deceased service members), to be completed not later than January 1, 2027. The study must assess options (1) to standardize selection, management, and tour lengths for casualty assistance officers across the Armed Forces (similar to military recruiters); (2) to standardize, improve quality and proficiency of, training for such officers on policies, procedures, entitlements, benefits, and financial obligations for surviving families; (3) to develop a Defense-wide survivor contact registry for voluntary periodic check-ins at significant milestones; and (4) to develop an integrated Defense-wide long-term care program modeled on the Army's Survivor Outreach Services, providing information on entitlements and access to case managers and counselors. Not later than 180 days after completing the study, the Comptroller General must submit a report to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees containing the study's results, recommendations on the assessed options, and a plan for implementing those recommendations.

This section revises notification requirements for proposed modifications to the scope of services at military medical treatment facilities by requiring (1) an endorsement from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the modification will have no effect on operational requirements of the armed forces; (2) an endorsement from the Surgeon General of the military department concerned that the modification will have no effect on the training or readiness of military medical personnel in that department; and (3) an assessment from the Director of the Defense Health Agency explaining how members of the armed forces and covered beneficiaries at the facility will continue to receive care.

This section directs the Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Director of the Defense Health Agency, to assess the behavioral health and social health conditions of Air Force members assigned to Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, and their families related to such assignment, using tools such as site assistance visits, behavioral health epidemiological consultations, and community-wide assessments. The assessment must (1) establish behavioral health and social health outcomes impacting individual, family, and unit readiness at the base; (2) identify factors, including unique social and occupational stressors, affecting such health; and (3) make recommendations to address those factors and improve health and readiness. Not later than March 1, 2026, the Secretary must brief the Senate and House Armed Services Committees on the assessment methods, findings, and recommendations.

This section authorizes Department of Defense (DoD) medical personnel to provide sexual assault medical forensic examinations on a nonreimbursable basis at military medical treatment facilities to individuals not otherwise eligible for DoD health care who (1) report a sexual assault offense subject to investigation by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and (2) meet eligibility criteria prescribed in DoD regulations. The regulations may also address handling, storage, and transfer of completed examination kits to law enforcement.

This section establishes fertility-related care coverage under TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select (i.e., the Department of Defense's primary health plans for active duty service members, retirees, and families) for active duty uniformed services members and their dependents, including diagnosis of infertility and treatments such as in vitro fertilization (with at least three completed oocyte retrievals and unlimited embryo transfers per American Society for Reproductive Medicine guidelines), sperm or egg retrieval, preservation of gametes or embryos, artificial insemination, medications, and coordination services. It further (1) establishes a program to coordinate such care and train community providers on the needs of service members and dependents; (2) requires provision of such care in CHAMPUS contracts under 10 USC 1079(a); (3) excludes coverage of such care for former members and their dependents in plans under 10 USC 1086 (i.e., CHAMPUS coverage for certain survivors and medically separated members); (4) directs the Secretary of Defense to issue implementing regulations within one year of enactment; (5) applies these changes to services provided on or after October 1, 2027; and (6) states that the changes provide no new benefits for former members or dependents and do not authorize payments related to human cloning, artificial womb technology, or international surrogacy.

This section prohibits the Department of Defense from using available funds to perform or facilitate sex change surgeries and from using military medical treatment facilities or other DoD facilities for such surgeries.

This section codifies the position of Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA) as a military officer holding a rank equal to or greater than that of any military department Surgeon General (i.e., at least lieutenant general or vice admiral) who is joint qualified under 10 USC 661. (The DHA administers military medical treatment facilities, including healthcare delivery, budgeting, staffing, and construction.) It removes the September 30, 2021, deadline for the DHA Director to assume administration of such facilities and related authorities (e.g., directing facility commanders, determining workforce needs, and selecting directors) and eliminates the phrase conditioning certain authorities on when the Director begins exercising them. It makes conforming changes to subsection designations and cross-references throughout the section and in 10 USC 1091a.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to establish policies for the priority assignment of Department of Defense medical personnel and directs each Secretary of a military department to assign such personnel consistent with those policies in coordination with the Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA). The section further authorizes the DHA Director, if directed by the Secretary of Defense due to a military department's noncompliance, to reassign such personnel, with a required briefing to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees within 90 days of any reassignment.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, notwithstanding 10 U.S.C. 1104 (which governs sharing of health-care resources between the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs), to seek to establish a demonstration program expanding partnerships between Department of Defense medical facilities with certified graduate medical education programs and any Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility. The purpose is to increase case volume for Department of Defense graduate medical education programs (i.e., physician residency training). In seeking to establish the program, the Secretary shall ensure (1) credentialing and privileging of medical personnel to work in covered facilities, (2) expedited access to Department of Defense installations for non-Department of Defense beneficiaries receiving care under the program, and (3) in-kind or non-cash payments or reimbursements for program expenses. The section further requires annual briefings to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees beginning December 1, 2026, and sunsets on September 30, 2032.

This section establishes an appeals process for denials of medical malpractice claims by members of the uniformed services under the Department of Defense (DoD) program (10 U.S.C. §2733a), which allows DoD to settle and pay such claims for injury or death caused by DoD health care providers in covered facilities (with direct payments up to $100,000 and excess amounts via the Judgment Fund). The appeals process is handled by a third-party review board of up to five members with legal or medical backgrounds—none from the uniformed services or DoD civilian employees—jointly established by the Judge Advocates General of the Army, Navy, and Air Force; claimants may submit appeals directly, request adversarial hearings, and receive copies of DoD responses. The section further directs the Judge Advocates General to appoint board members not later than 180 days after the effective date; requires the Secretary of Defense to report to the Armed Services Committees of the Senate and House on the board's membership, qualifications, and independence not later than 180 days after establishment; makes conforming changes to cross-references (from subsection (h) to (i)) and redesignates subsections (g) through (k) as (h) through (l); and takes effect 10 years after enactment.

This section directs the Secretary concerned—in consultation with states (through Defense-State Liaison Offices), the Secretaries of Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, and Labor—to develop recommendations for improving the transition of military medics (i.e., Armed Forces members in clinical health care occupations) to civilian health care jobs such as certified nurse aides, licensed practical nurses, or medical assistants. In developing recommendations, the Secretary concerned must (1) identify barriers to recognizing military medic credentials in civilian employment, standardizing such credentials across the Armed Forces, pre-separation credentialing, accelerated bridge programs, SkillBridge program access (i.e., DoD internships for separating service members), and Transition Assistance Program (TAP) information on state licensing; and (2) consider impacts of state clarifications of military credential equivalents, state incentives for bridge programs, military alignment of credentials, and VA and Labor Department tracking of post-service health care employment. Not later than 180 days after enactment, the Secretary concerned must submit to designated congressional committees a report containing the recommendations and an implementation plan.

This section directs the Director of the Defense Health Agency to ensure that the accuracy of the TRICARE provider directory (i.e., the Department of Defense's health care program for uniformed servicemembers, retirees, and families) for all specialty care provider types reaches an average of at least 70 percent across all such providers by not later than five years after enactment of this Act, with accuracy measured biannually and disaggregated by provider type. The section requires TRICARE managed care contracts to mandate contractor compliance through (1) comprehensive outreach campaigns to network providers on T-5 Contract penalties, resources, and update links; (2) quarterly validation of directory information as a condition of network participation; (3) prompts for providers to review and verify information during reimbursement filings; and (4) beneficiary reporting mechanisms for inaccuracies. Additionally, the section (1) authorizes the Director to use other improvement methods; (2) requires the Department of Defense Inspector General to conduct quarterly random accuracy tests across all specialty care types; (3) directs the Director to submit annual reports and briefings to the Armed Services Committees of the House and Senate, covering effective techniques, needed authorities, type-specific challenges, and provider impacts; and (4) requires the Comptroller General to conduct and annually report to Congress on holistic reviews of progress toward the 70 percent target.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, not later than 180 days after enactment, to review all processes and forms relating to health care provider credentialing and privileging for covered applicants—defined as applicants for such positions who provide care at Department of Defense (DOD) military medical treatment facilities or clinics or through the TRICARE program's civilian network—to identify and compare requirements to disclose mental, behavioral, psychological, or related health conditions, including across military departments and the Defense Health Agency. Not later than one year after enactment, the Secretary must submit to Congress a report on the review findings and a detailed plan, with timeline, to update those processes and forms to refrain from requiring such disclosures absent current impairment, including by engaging external advocates with subject matter expertise.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of the Army, to assess the adequacy of TRICARE health care services (i.e., DOD program serving active duty personnel, retirees, and families) for covered beneficiaries at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. The assessment must evaluate (1) local access to care; (2) impacts of realigning, downgrading, or reducing services at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital; (3) potential Department of Veterans Affairs partnerships; and (4) other matters affecting the hospital's viability. It prohibits closing, downgrading, or reducing the hospital's scope of services unless the Secretary completes and submits the assessment to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, certifies no degradation of services to beneficiaries and the community, and the Army Chief of Staff certifies no impact on units' medical readiness.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments, to submit to the congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after the President submits the FY2027 budget request, a comprehensive strategic infectious disease medical research plan that describes (1) all Department of Defense (DOD) infectious disease medical research and its coordination to ensure linkage to military readiness, joint force requirements, and relevance to individuals eligible for care at military medical treatment facilities or through TRICARE; (2) projects funded under the Defense Health Program Account (i.e., the DOD account that funds medical and health care programs), including those under the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Chemical and Biological Defense Program, and Defense Threat Reduction Agency; (3) processes for synergy across the military medical research community to address gaps, minimize duplication, promote collaboration, and leverage infrastructure; and (4) coordination with other federal agencies on complementary research. The section further requires the Secretary to submit to the President, for inclusion with the FY2027 and subsequent budget requests through FY2032, a detailed budget display for the plan that provides future-years projections disaggregated by specified activities and accounts (procurement, research, development, test, and evaluation; operation and maintenance; military personnel; and military construction); describes requirements and uses of funds by military department and budget line; and includes year-over-year comparisons of requests and prior-year obligations.

This section extends authority for the Joint Department of Defense–Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund through September 30, 2027 (from September 30, 2026). The fund supports operation of the joint DoD-VA medical facility demonstration project at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago, Illinois, which provides integrated health care to active-duty servicemembers, military retirees, and veterans.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, commencing not later than 180 days after enactment, to carry out a two-year pilot program developing and implementing a comprehensive wastewater surveillance system—using appropriate technologies and a uniform data system—at not fewer than four military department installations to improve testing, identification, and analysis of covered drug usage and infectious disease prevalence among Armed Forces members. The program requires, at a minimum, (1) one wastewater surveillance system for covered drugs at one installation and (2) one for infectious diseases at one installation. Not later than 90 days after program termination, the Secretary must submit to the congressional defense committees a report summarizing findings, providing recommendations for interventions or policy changes, and assessing program effectiveness in enhancing force health protection and readiness. In this section, the term “covered drug” means a schedule I or II controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812), excluding any such drug that was newly scheduled and approved by the Food and Drug Administration under section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355) not later than 20 years before enactment.

This section requires the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs (DOD and VA) to conduct annual outreach to VA-enrolled veterans on accessing care at DOD military medical treatment facilities (MTFs) and to train VA staff and contractors on referring patients to DOD facilities and providers under the VA community care program (38 U.S.C. § 1703). This section amends the VA community care program provision (38 U.S.C. § 1703(g)) to designate providers under subsection (c)(2) (i.e., certain eligible entities) as preferred providers and revises the subsection heading to "Community care network and preferred providers." This section further directs DOD and VA to (1) develop and implement action plans at covered facilities (i.e., MTFs with excess capacity) to expand their health care partnership—including through cross-credentialing, expedited base access, in-kind reimbursements, direct veteran access without VA preauthorization, facility liaisons, performance monitoring, IT integration, and other measures—subject to approval by the VA-DOD Joint Executive Committee, local commanders, and VA medical center directors; and (2) submit an initial report on these plans to congressional committees within 90 days of enactment and a progress report with recommendations one year later. This section requires a lead coordinator at each DOD or VA facility with a sharing agreement.

This section revises the heading of the resource sharing agreements provision (10 USC 1096) to include "; medical surge program" and establishes a new subsection (e) directing the Secretary of Defense (SecDef), in collaboration with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to carry out the Military-Civilian Medical Surge Program. The program supports SecDef-selected locations and enhances the interoperability and medical surge capability and capacity of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS)—a public health system that deploys medical teams, equipment, and supplies during disasters—in response to a national emergency, public health emergency, declaration of war, invocation of the War Powers Resolution, or other presidentially declared emergency or major disaster. The SecDef, acting through the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, oversees program operation, staffing, and deployment while maintaining requirements for specialized training, research, and education on patient regulation, movement, definitive care, and related matters. The SecDef must establish partnerships at not fewer than eight U.S. locations that are aeromedical or transport hubs or logistics centers operationally relevant to DoD missions under NDMS (and may select additional locations, including outside the continental United States), with public, private, nonprofit, academic, and hospital entities critical to civilian medical mobilization for wartime contingencies or catastrophic events and proficient in high-consequence infectious disease and pathogen preparedness. (Thus, these partnerships enable rapid civilian medical support to military treatment facilities and the military health system during covered emergencies.) Not later than July 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the SecDef must report to the armed services and health committees of Congress on program status, readiness, personnel, resources, interagency coordination, and improvement recommendations. The provision clarifies it does not affect SecHHS authorities over NDMS leadership, public health response, staffing, or resources.

This section revises 10 USC 1737(a)(4) to define "portfolio acquisition executive" as the acquisition workforce member responsible for overall management of requirements, programming, and acquisition of defense capabilities assigned by a service or component acquisition executive, with direct control over necessary officials and support (including performance evaluation input to the maximum extent practicable) and subject to the military service chief for requirements management and the service acquisition executive overall, while requiring the Secretary of Defense to minimize non-statutory external guidance. The section also replaces "program executive officer" (and related terms such as "deputy program executive officer") with "portfolio acquisition executive" (and equivalents) in 11 acquisition-related provisions, including 10 USC §§1706, 1731, 1735, 1707, 1764, and 4025; sections 1509 (FY2023 NDAA), 862 (FY2020 NDAA), 323 (FY2013 NDAA), 807 (FY2021 NDAA), and 918 (FY2024 NDAA) of various NDAAs.

This section establishes a capstone requirement approach for three or more acquisition portfolios managed by portfolio acquisition executives in each military department to enable greater speed, agility, and innovation in fielding military capabilities, with each capstone requirement developed in consultation with the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC). Under this approach, the relevant Secretary must (1) develop a general set of portfolio requirements designed to guide iterative delivery of integrated capabilities, provide enduring strategic themes (not system-specific), include measures of force effectiveness, and incorporate kill chains, effects chains, operational vignettes, and mission engineering; (2) authorize portfolio managers to change program scopes and requirements (in consultation with operational commands and JROC, without altering key performance parameters of major defense acquisition programs); (3) assign operational forces representatives authorized to shape priorities, provide operational insights and feedback, validate commercial or nondevelopmental items, foster collaboration, and advise managers; (4) maximize commercial market research, nondevelopmental items, and minimum viable products; (5) enable rapid resourcing and acquisition of such items upon validation by operational representatives; and (6) manage information technology requirements via dynamically prioritized user needs lists with iterative refinement based on user input, prior deliveries, and market research. (Thus, the approach shifts defense acquisitions toward agile, portfolio-level requirements over rigid, program-specific ones.)

This section modifies requirements for acquisition strategies for major defense acquisition programs and major systems by (1) designating the portfolio acquisition executive—or the decision authority (newly defined in subsection (e) as the Department of Defense official with overall acquisition responsibility for the program or system), when that official is the service acquisition executive or Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment—as responsible for issuing and maintaining strategy content requirements and review processes (previously the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment or milestone decision authority); (2) revising content requirements to emphasize a business case and capability management approach that, to the maximum extent practicable, describes development, procurement, and fielding of a portfolio of capabilities within enduring requirements rather than a specific end-item (previously top-level business and technical management approach), and to specify resources such as time, funding, and management capacity required to deliver the capability (previously how the strategy is designed to be implemented with available resources); and (3) replacing the list of considerations in subsection (c)(2) with new items, including incremental delivery with continuous competition and transitions to alternative end-items, logistics and sustainment requirements, market research with the science and technology community, enterprise-wide designs, overarching roadmaps, long-term contracting partnerships across capability portfolios, assignment of acquisition workforce roles, and continuous testing with end users. The section further requires the decision authority to review and approve the strategy, as appropriate, prior to each acquisition decision memorandum and to update it at regular intervals to reflect significant changes (new subsection (d)). (As background, acquisition strategies outline the business, technical, and contracting approach for major defense programs to ensure alignment with requirements, resources, and risk management.)

This section revises the modular open systems approach (MOSA) requirements for defense acquisition programs under 10 U.S.C. §§4401-4402. Specifically, it replaces §4401 in its entirety with new definitions of key terms, including "authorized third party" (i.e., an entity approved by DOD for accessing developer resources), "major system component," "major system platform," "modular system," "modular systems interfaces" (i.e., shared boundaries free of proprietary restrictions and documented in machine-readable format), and "operational data" (i.e., government-owned data for system operation, maintenance, or enhancement). (MOSA is a design strategy using modular systems to enable innovation, competition, and upgrades in weapon systems.) It further amends §4402 to (1) require every major defense acquisition program to include a MOSA implementation plan in its acquisition strategy, with other programs incorporating MOSA to the maximum extent practicable; (2) specify acquisition strategy contents, including descriptions of the MOSA approach, differentiation of major system platforms and components, anticipated component evolution, security classifications, intellectual property and data rights strategies, and systems integration; (3) mandate enforceable contract clauses for data rights (consistent with 10 U.S.C. §§3771-3775) and modular systems interfaces; (4) authorize waivers of MOSA requirements only if they demonstrably impair national security or operational capability, with detailed justification submitted to the congressional defense committees within 30 days; and (5) impose MOSA requirements on covered programs, including publication of modular systems interfaces to DOD repositories, delivery of data rights for sharing with authorized third parties, use of industry standards where applicable, government ownership of operational data in nonproprietary format, and system designs enabling integration of new modules with minimal reconfiguration.

This section establishes an alternative test and evaluation (T&E) pathway for covered Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition programs to align developmental testing (DT) and operational testing (OT), accelerate capability delivery through iterative updates and data-driven decisions, and maintain independent oversight. The pathway requires military departments to (1) execute a unified T&E strategy with a test data strategy for raw data collection (including from industry and operations), automated analytics, and government ownership of all data; (2) incorporate best practices such as hardware-in-the-loop testing, continuous data from prototypes, and model-based tools; and (3) allow evolving execution plans without rigid milestones. Covered programs are exempt from Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP) requirements, milestone-specific operational test events such as Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) under 10 U.S.C. §4171, and other documentation inconsistent with agile processes. (Thus, programs may conduct early, continuous operational feedback without predefined OT schedules.) For programs under Director of Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) oversight, DOT&E must provide independent data evaluation across the lifecycle, have unrestricted data access, forgo pre-approvals of test plans or documentation, and report to Congress on pathway effectiveness. The Secretary of Defense must issue implementing guidance within 180 days of enactment and submit a report to the congressional defense committees within three years of enactment assessing the pathway's impact on delivery speed and performance.

This section specifies that the Department of Defense representative on the Cost Accounting Standards Board is the Director of Defense Pricing, Contracting, and Acquisition Policy (or successor organization), rather than a representative appointed by the Secretary of Defense.

This section authorizes each commander of a combatant command to conduct experimentation, prototyping, and technology demonstrations to develop and test innovative technologies and capabilities addressing operational needs identified by the command. For such activities, the commander may use (1) operation and maintenance funds, including to purchase items with an investment unit cost not exceeding the threshold in guidance from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) for distinguishing expense and investment costs; and (2) special contracting authorities under sec. 843 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (P.L. 118-31; 10 U.S.C. 3601 note), if those procedures are followed. Upon successful completion, a combatant command's written determination that the technology or capability meets its operational need may fulfill (1) the justification required for other than competitive procedures under 10 U.S.C. §3204(a) or follow-on production under 10 U.S.C. §4022; and (2) a validated capability needs statement or other requirements document.

This section revises the definition of nontraditional defense contractor to mean an entity that either (1) is not currently performing and has not performed, for at least the one-year period preceding the solicitation of sources, any Department of Defense (DoD) contract or subcontract subject to full cost accounting standards (CAS) coverage or (2) does not qualify as a covered segment under Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 231.205-18 or successor regulation. (As background, the definition applies to DoD procurements and other transactions under 10 U.S.C. §§4021-4022, which provide acquisition flexibilities exempting such contractors from full CAS requirements to encourage commercial entity participation.)

This section authorizes financing costs—such as interest on borrowings, bond discounts, and costs of financing or refinancing capital—incurred for covered activities to be allowable as direct or indirect overhead costs in Department of Defense contracts and subcontracts, provided such costs are reasonable, consistent with prevailing market rates for similar financing, and paid to a financing entity not owned by, controlled by, or under common control with the recipient. Covered activities include prime contractor or subcontractor efforts (1) to manage inventory of completed products or components used in production; (2) to improve inventory management of products or components for sustainment or maintenance; (3) to expand production or sustainment and maintenance capacity through capital expenditures; or (4) for other purposes identified by the Secretary of Defense.

This section exempts nontraditional defense contractors—as defined in 10 U.S.C. §3014 (i.e., entities not performing, for at least the one-year period preceding a DoD solicitation, any contract or subcontract subject to full cost accounting standards)—from the following 10 requirements: (1) DFARS 252.242–7006, or successor; (2) DFARS 252.234–7002, or successor; (3) DFARS 252.215–7002, or successor; (4) DFARS 252.242–7004, or successor; (5) DFARS 252.245–7003, or successor; (6) DFARS 252.244–7001, or successor; (7) DFARS 252.242–7005, or successor; (8) DFARS 215.407, or successor; (9) 10 U.S.C. §3702; and (10) FAR part 31, or successor. (Thus, these contractors are not subject to specified DoD rules on accounting systems, business systems, cost principles, and related compliance typically required of traditional defense contractors.)

This section modifies DoD authority under 10 U.S.C. §3457 to treat certain products and services as commercial items, which are eligible for streamlined acquisition procedures: (1) requires agency heads to treat products and services provided by nontraditional defense contractors (i.e., entities historically not selling to DoD) as commercial products and services, respectively (previously permissive "may be treated"); (2) authorizes waiver or modification of this requirement via written determination by the head of the contracting activity (delegable no lower than the senior contracting official), justified by factors such as market research showing suppliers cannot effectively provide under commercial procedures; (3) eliminates the provision treating services from nontraditional contractor business units as commercial services if using the same employee pool and similar pricing methodology as for commercial customers; and (4) clarifies that this authority does not create a purchase preference under 10 U.S.C. §3453 solely because an item is deemed commercial. (Thus, the changes expand streamlined procurement for innovative commercial providers while adding oversight via waivers and limiting unintended preferences.)

This section revises DoD policy requiring preference for commercial products and services (or nondevelopmental items) in procurements to the maximum extent practicable by (1) expanding responsible officials from procurement officials to acquisition officials, including consultants, researchers, and advisors; (2) in subsection (c), adding a new requirement for agency heads to establish a process for non-availability determinations before procuring defense-unique development products or services—including market research confirming no suitable commercial or nondevelopmental alternatives and a program manager's written memorandum (signed by the program executive officer) justifying the need; and (3) defining "defense-unique development" as a DoD-financed product or service providing a defense-unique capability without repurposing commercial products, services, or nondevelopmental items. (As background, the policy directs agencies to state requirements in terms of functions, performance, or essential characteristics to enable commercial competition, with implementation measures such as training, policy revisions, and performance incentives.) It further amends market research support requirements (10 U.S.C. 3456) to explicitly include assistance with section 3453's market research and non-availability determinations and directs contracting officers to consider program managers' memoranda when making commercial/noncommercial determinations.

This section modifies the commercial solutions opening authority by (1) expanding eligible items in subsection (a) to include nondevelopmental items (in addition to innovative commercial products and services), authorizing technical or operational reviews (in addition to peer review) as appropriate, and permitting follow-on contract awards or agreements—including sole-source awards—to the selected recipient without further justification; (2) adding a new subsection (c) expressly authorizing sole-source follow-on awards for any such products, services, or items, subject to approval requirements under 10 U.S.C. §§ 3204 (Army) or 4022 (Navy, Air Force, Space Force); (3) eliminating the requirement in subsection (c)—redesignated as (d)—for a written determination by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment or a service acquisition executive prior to contracts exceeding $100 million; and (4) striking the definition of "innovative." (Thus, the authority applies more broadly to commercial and nondevelopmental items without an innovativeness test.)

This section (1) shortens the required congressional notification period for prototype projects expected to cost the Department of Defense over $500 million (including options) to at the time the authority is exercised (from at least 30 days before); and (2) establishes authority to award a production transaction, with or without competitive procedures, to acquire emergent and proven technologies or field production quantities of new or upgraded systems that do not require additional development and have been demonstrated in a relevant environment, upon written determination by the appropriate service or component acquisition executive that exceptional circumstances justify the transaction to address a high-priority warfighter need (with the Secretary of Defense providing the determination to the congressional defense committees at the time of exercise). (Other transaction prototype projects enable the Department of Defense to partner rapidly with nontraditional contractors to develop and test innovative technologies outside standard federal acquisition processes.)

This section modifies DoD procurement authority for experimental or test purposes in national defense development by (1) expanding eligible items to demonstrations, prototypes, products, supplies, parts, accessories, auxiliary services, and designs for defense-related articles (from ordnance, signal, chemical activity, transportation, energy, medical, space-flight, telecommunications, and aeronautical supplies, including parts and accessories, and designs thereof); (2) authorizing such purchases to be made or modified inside or outside the United States and by contract or otherwise; and (3) expanding the purposes for which purchases in limited quantities are exempt from ch. 137 acquisition rules (i.e., 10 U.S.C. ch. 137) to include prototyping (in addition to experimentation, technical evaluation, assessment of operational utility, or safety). (Thus, the changes broaden and clarify DoD's flexibility to acquire and adjust prototype-related items without full competition procedures when quantities are not excessive.)

This section establishes authority for the Secretary of Defense and military department secretaries to acquire consumption-based solutions—technology-supported capabilities provided through any combination of hardware, equipment, software, data, labor, or services that are metered and billed based on actual usage at fixed price units. It directs the Secretary of Defense to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement to create a new subcategory of services entitled “Consumption-based solutions,” which requires (1) awardee notification to the contracting officer upon reaching 75% and 90% of the contract's funded amount, respectively, and (2) treatment of contract modifications adding new features or capabilities (≤25% of the original contract value) as competitive procurements under chapter 221 of title 10, United States Code. It authorizes appropriated funds for such acquisitions to cover research, development, test and evaluation; procurement; production; modification; and operation and maintenance, including incrementally funded contracts with advanced payments, and states that this authority may be used in combination with other Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement contract types.

This section modifies the prohibition on Department of Defense (DOD) contracts with persons that derive a majority (from not less than 50 percent) of gross revenue from fossil fuel business operations (previously, operations) with the Government of the Russian Federation or the Russian energy sector, as established by Section 804 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024, by— (1) authorizing the Secretary of Defense to waive the prohibition if the Department of the Treasury issues a license, including by general license, in subsection (b)(3); and (2) in subsection (e)— (A) adding an exception, in paragraph (2), for activities related to fulfilling contracts with a qualifying Russian fossil fuel company that were entered into prior to enactment of Section 804; and (B) specifying, in paragraph (3), that the prohibited person has fossil fuel business operations.

This section revises 10 U.S.C. 3452(b)–(e)—previously requiring the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to list defense-unique provisions of law and contract clauses inapplicable to Department of Defense (DOD) contracts and subcontracts for commercial products and commercial services (with post-1994 laws automatically inapplicable unless the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment determines otherwise)—by striking those subsections and requiring the DFARS instead to list only defense-unique contract clause requirements based on statute, executive orders, or acquisition policies that are applicable to such contracts (new subsection (b)), subcontracts (new subsection (c)), and contracts for commercially available off-the-shelf items (new subsection (d)). New subsection (c)(2) defines "subcontract" to include transfers of commercial products and services between divisions, subsidiaries, or affiliates of a contractor or subcontractor but excludes "other supply agreements" (i.e., agreements for products, materials, or services intended for multiple DOD or other contracts and not identifiable to any particular contract); subsection (c)(3) prohibits waiving any provision of law or contract clause for first-tier subcontracts under prime contracts reselling or distributing another contractor's commercial products and services without adding value. (Thus, the revision shifts from broad exemptions for commercial acquisitions to a whitelist of required defense-unique clauses, while clarifying subcontract scope and protecting resellers.)

This section establishes a limitation prohibiting the Secretary of Defense from requiring prime contractors to flow down contract clauses to subcontractors providing commercial products or commercial services, except for clauses required by law and listed under 10 U.S.C. §3452 or otherwise applicable under subsection (e) of that section. The limitation also applies to other supply agreements, with terms defined per §3452(c)(2). (Thus, this reduces regulatory burdens on commercial subcontractors by narrowing mandatory clause flowdown.)

This section establishes a Department of Defense policy requiring references to DoD policy documents, instructions, and manuals in contracts to specify a version or date. If unspecified, contractors must comply with the version in effect at solicitation issuance, and updated versions apply only upon mutual agreement.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to ensure equitable adjustments for contractors experiencing loss of work in process (i.e., items at any stage of production or manufacture, including covered aircraft) on covered contracts—defined as classified, fixed-price Department of Defense contracts entered into on or after the date of enactment where a third-party commercial insurer cannot provide coverage or process claims due to the program's classified nature. Such adjustments do not apply to losses caused by the contractor's willful misconduct or lack of good faith, as defined in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS). The section further directs the Secretary to revise the DFARS to conform to these requirements not later than 120 days after enactment.

This section establishes requirements for reporting price increases on covered contracts (i.e., cost-reimbursement contracts awarded without competition under 10 U.S.C. §3204 and as defined in Federal Acquisition Regulation §6.302). Specifically, it requires an offeror to report to the relevant contracting officer within 30 days after a product or service price reaches or exceeds (1) 25% above the contract bid price or the government price paid the previous calendar year, or (2) 50% above the price paid five years earlier. The section further requires the Director of the Defense Contract Audit Agency or relevant service acquisition executive to report in the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)—housed within the System for Award Management—(1) contractors failing to report such increases, (2) updated audit findings on noncompliance, and (3) details of unreported increases, including National Stock Number, order quantity, unit cost, total cost, purchasing entity, and order date.

This section establishes requirements for contractors to deliver Instructions for Continued Operational Readiness (ICOR)—technical data necessary for DoD operations, maintenance, repair, and sustainment of covered defense equipment—in contracts or agreements for procurement, sustainment, or modifications, including rights for the Secretary of Defense to diagnose, maintain, and repair such equipment. The Secretary may grant exceptions if a product support strategy shows no justified need; must withhold payment until ICOR is accepted as complete; and must require updates for modifications. ICOR must include, at a minimum, (1) recommended maintenance methods, manuals, diagnostic procedures, special tooling, and equipment; (2) an operational limitations section (OLS) with approved schedules for life-limited component replacements and inspections; (3) engineering drawings, schematics, software, and wiring diagrams; (4) a complete list of replacement parts, components, and sources; (5) procedures for documenting maintenance actions and OLS compliance; and (6) identification of safety-essential information. (Thus, ICOR enables DoD and authorized providers to sustain equipment independently, reducing reliance on contractors.) Contractors must submit ICOR prior to or upon equipment delivery for Secretary review and acceptance, with updates required for design changes, upgrades, or safety issues. Contractors may not restrict ICOR use by authorized DoD maintenance providers unless approved for safety or reliability. The Secretary may authorize alternative maintenance or repair if a program lacks sufficient data, the contractor fails to deliver ICOR or parts, support is discontinued without substitutes, urgent circumstances arise, or significant cost savings result.

This section establishes requirements for Department of Defense review of contractor requests for indemnification against nuclear and unusually hazardous risks—including those involving commercial nuclear technology—under Public Law 85–804 (50 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), which authorizes the government to indemnify contractors for extraordinary contractual relief from such risks. Specifically, it (1) requires, to the maximum extent practicable, input from the Defense Contract Management Agency (including insurance market reviews by its Contractor Insurance/Pension Review group); (2) mandates completion of all such reviews, with a final decision and executed Memorandum of Decision, within 90 days; and (3) directs each military department Secretary to delegate relevant indemnification authority for advanced nuclear energy systems or components to appropriate subordinate officials, commands, or agencies to ensure timely program execution.

This section provides that cost or pricing data obtained by or made available to a prime contractor or subcontractor more than 30 days before the date of agreement on a Department of Defense contract price (or other date agreed under subsection (a)(2))—but submitted after that date—do not constitute a valid defense to a price reduction for defective cost or pricing data. (As background, contractors must submit certified accurate cost or pricing data before price agreement on certain negotiated DoD contracts exceeding the Truthful Cost or Pricing Data threshold, generally $2 million, to ensure fair pricing; defective data permits a price reduction equal to the overcharge.)

This section revises thresholds for submission of certified cost or pricing data on certain Department of Defense contracts under 10 U.S.C. 3702(a)—which requires such data from prime contractors and higher-tier subcontractors to ensure fair and reasonable pricing—and extends an associated date to June 30, 2026 (from June 30, 2018). Specifically, it (1) in paragraph (1)(A), increases the threshold to $10 million (from $2 million); (2) in paragraph (1)(B), increases the threshold to $2 million (from $750,000); (3) in paragraph (2), increases the threshold to $10 million (from $2 million); and (4) in paragraph (3)(A), increases the threshold to $10 million (from $2 million). (Thus, fewer contracts will require detailed cost data submissions.)

This section repeals limitations on Department of Defense executive agent authority under the loan guarantee provisions of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 4531), as enacted in sec. 226 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 and sec. 1792 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019. (Thus, the provision restores DoD's prior flexibility to provide loan guarantees of private loans—subject to presidential determinations including a minimum 20% security requirement—to contractors and others to expedite production of industrial resources, critical technology items, or essential materials for national defense.)

This section directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, acting through the Director of the Joint Production Accelerator Cell and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, to submit to the congressional defense committees by March 1, 2026, a strategy—developed in coordination with the Assistant Secretaries of the military departments for acquisition and specified Defense Department directors—to ensure the U.S. defense industrial base meets small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) requirements. The strategy must include (1) an assessment of emerging technologies and manufacturing processes to modernize or expand sUAS component and finished article production and (2) a plan to prioritize government funding for onshoring sUAS component production in private manufacturing facilities and government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO) or government-owned, government-operated (GOGO) facilities. This section further requires the Secretary of Defense to contract with a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) by March 1, 2026, to review the sUAS industrial base, assessing (A) existing capacity and capability, including supply base and personnel; (B) potential new entrants; (C) vendor qualification processes; (D)-(E) capacity for current and future program demands; (F) program throughput mapping; (G) shortfalls in critical materials such as rare earth elements and lithium; and (H) demands from commercial, civil, and Defense Department sectors. The FFRDC must submit its report to the Secretary by September 30, 2026, and the Secretary must transmit the report, with any comments, to the congressional defense committees within 30 days. This section defines "small unmanned aircraft system components" as critical components used in the manufacture and operation of small unmanned aircraft systems, as defined in 49 U.S.C. 44801 (i.e., unmanned aircraft weighing less than 55 pounds).

This section expands exceptions to the Department of Defense prohibition on procuring covered materials (e.g., tungsten) melted or produced in covered nations (e.g., China, Russia) or end items containing such materials by allowing a national security waiver under 10 U.S.C. 4863(k) for strategic materials sourcing restrictions to apply to the same covered material and end item. (Thus, a single waiver determination may authorize procurement notwithstanding both sets of restrictions.)

This section modifies the availability exception to the Berry Amendment's domestic sourcing requirement (10 U.S.C. §4862) for Department of Defense procurement of clothing and its materials and components or items listed in subsection (b)(1)(D) (i.e., specified textile products). If the Secretary of Defense or a military department secretary determines that adequate domestic supplies are unavailable and invokes the exception, no contract may be awarded for such items produced in China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia. The restriction applies only to agreements entered into on or after enactment.

This section limits obligation or expenditure of FY2026 Operation and Maintenance funds, Defense-wide, for travel expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security to not more than 90 percent until the Secretary of Defense (1) certifies to the congressional defense committees that the requirements of section 847 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116-92; 10 U.S.C. 4819 note)—which direct mitigation of risks from foreign ownership, control, or influence of DoD contractors and subcontractors—have been implemented; and (2) submits a plan and timeline for continued implementation, including details on ensuring contractor and subcontractor compliance beyond self-certification (e.g., through enforcement penalties).

This section expands Department of Defense (DoD) prohibitions on procuring covered materials—certain critical minerals and metals—from non-allied foreign nations by (1) adding molybdenum to the definition of covered material and (2) adding germanium and gallium, effective one year after enactment. (These restrictions, at 10 U.S.C. §4872, apply to DoD prime contracts exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold to promote secure supply chains.) It also establishes an exception to the prohibition for tantalum, tungsten, or molybdenum produced from recycled scrap—immediately if the scrap originated outside a covered nation and melting, processing, and manufacturing occur in the United States or a qualifying allied country—and extends the exception to gallium and germanium effective one year after enactment.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to ensure that, as soon as practicable but not later than FY2031, the Department of Defense maintains multiple sources for products in the following critical sectors: (1) castings and forgings; (2) missiles and munitions; (3) energy storage and batteries; (4) strategic and critical materials; (5) microelectronics; and (6) any other critical sector determined by the Secretary. (Thus, mitigating supply chain vulnerabilities from single-source dependencies.) It further authorizes the Secretary to waive this requirement if maintaining multiple sources is unfeasible, with notification to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees within 30 days.

This section prohibits the use of funds authorized by this Act for Department of Defense contracts to procure photovoltaic modules manufactured by a foreign entity of concern, as defined in 15 U.S.C. 4651(8). The Secretary of Defense may waive the prohibition upon determining no alternative sources exist for photovoltaic cells, modules, or inverters, no national security risk is posed, and certifying such determinations in writing to the congressional defense committees at least 30 days prior. The prohibition applies only to direct Department procurements of modules or inverters—not third-party financing arrangements (e.g., energy savings contracts, privatized military housing)—and is delayed one year after enactment for assets enhancing combat capability; it also exempts intelligence, electronic warfare, information warfare operations, testing, analysis, and training.

This section authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Army to accelerate modernization of the Army's organic industrial base—government-owned facilities that produce, repair, and store munitions and weapons systems—to meet munitions requirements by establishing production lines at specified installations. The Secretary must prioritize using or modifying existing facilities, environmental permits, security, and personnel for (1) a secondary domestic source of military-grade nitrocellulose; (2) any of 13 precursor chemicals currently sourced solely from China; (3) any of 300 chemicals identified as single-point failures by the Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition; (4) multiple calibers of ammunition serviced by a load-and-pack facility; or (5) a combination thereof. Such production lines must be located at Army organic industrial base installations that (1) received less than $100 million in cumulative modernization funding across all Army accounts during the two most recent fiscal years and (2) have substantial acreage available for industrial or technical development. The Secretary is encouraged to expedite approvals and maximize use of existing permits and expertise at those installations and may use funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act for this purpose.

This section expands authorized uses of the Industrial Base Fund—currently available, subject to appropriations, to support monitoring and assessment of the defense industrial base (as required by 10 USC chapters 381-385 and 389), address critical issues for urgent needs, expand the industrial base, and mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities—by adding new subsections (g) through (i). Subsection (g) specifies eligible uses for upstream, midstream, and downstream supply chains (including materials, components, testing, infrastructure, and equipment) directly needed for castings and forgings; kinetic capabilities; microelectronics; machine tools; critical minerals, materials, and chemicals; workforce; advanced manufacturing (including in the Indo-Pacific theater); unmanned vehicles; manned aircraft; ground systems; power sources; ships and submarines; other Indo-Pacific Command materiel solutions; and defense space systems. It prohibits Fund use for activities in covered countries and requires a national security determination and report to congressional defense committees at least 30 days prior for any other uses. Subsection (h) authorizes grants, contracts, other transactions, private-sector incentives, third-party awards (including debt and equity investments in small- and medium-sized entities), and subsidies to create, maintain, protect, expand, or restore domestic industrial base capabilities essential to national security. Subsection (i) establishes a purchase commitment program for federal use or resale of industrial resources, critical technologies, strategic materials, production capabilities, and emerging technologies; exempts such commitments (up to 10 years, including advance payments) from most existing legal limitations (except 31 USC 1341), subject to price and loss constraints unless justified for supply assurance; and authorizes subsidy payments for certain high-cost materials from non-covered countries upon specified findings.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to submit to the congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, a report on the United States boot industrial base that includes a comprehensive plan for the Department of Defense to fully comply with the Berry Amendment (10 U.S.C. §4862)—which restricts procurement of clothing and related items, including boots, to those grown, reprocessed, reused, or produced in the United States—by fiscal year 2028. The report must include the following elements: (1) a detailed description of current and surge manufacturing capacity for Berry-compliant government-issued boots, including suppliers of leather, textiles, soles, and components, as well as supply chain risks and small business participation; (2) a market survey of domestic boot manufacturers regarding interest in producing Berry-compliant boots if required for all Armed Forces members; (3) a time-phased schedule of actions, milestones, and resources to achieve full Berry Amendment compliance for combat footwear across all military services by fiscal year 2028; (4) an assessment of how policies allowing non-Berry-compliant "optional combat boots" undermine the Berry Amendment and the industrial base, with recommendations for compliance; (5) a plan to implement and enforce narrowly tailored availability and medical exemptions under 10 U.S.C. §4862(c), with controls to prevent overuse; and (6) steps to expand industrial capacity through multiyear contracting, demand forecasting, inventory planning, and requiring optional boots to be Berry-compliant.

This section amends the APEX Accelerators program (formerly Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, which assist businesses in pursuing Department of Defense contracts) as follows: (1) adds to the program's purposes fostering innovation for the defense industrial base and diversifying and expanding that base; (2) increases the funding limit for Bureau of Indian Affairs service areas to $1,500,000 (from $1,000,000); and (3) authorizes the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment to establish APEX centers of excellence that provide specialized expertise to business entities outside the centers' geographic areas, utilizing the cost-sharing waiver for cooperative agreements.

This section amends Section 844(a) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (1) by updating a cross-reference from “Section 2533c” to “Section 4872”; and (2) by adding to the list of prohibited Department of Defense procurement actions in subsection (a) a new paragraph (3) banning contracts for any covered material mined, refined, or separated in any covered nation.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to seek a contract or agreement with a qualified organization not later than 90 days after the date of enactment for an independent study of the Department of Defense acquisition workforce (i.e., personnel responsible for managing DoD procurements). The study must assess and comprehensively review (1) workforce effectiveness in procurements using performance metrics; (2) recruiting and retention processes, including pay comparisons to other federal agencies and commercial sectors, specialization, and incentives; (3) training, including at the Defense Acquisition University and Eisenhower School, commercial options, and certifications; (4) workforce size and mix, including adjacent fields such as industrial security, counterintelligence, and finance; (5) workload and span of control by contract value and number; (6) dependencies on industrial security, including compliance costs and communication mechanisms; (7) integration with requirements and budget communities; and (8) available data tools and systems, including commercial options. Following study completion, the organization must submit a report to the Secretary summarizing activities and providing recommendations to improve workforce recruiting, retention, training, management, and mix; not later than December 31, 2027, the Secretary must submit that report unaltered—together with an assessment of its findings and an implementation plan—to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees.

This section establishes an expedited interim national security waiver program through January 1, 2027, for Department of Defense contractors who promptly disclose to a program office the discovery—via supply chain illumination policies, procedures, analytical tools, subcontractors, or third parties—of non-compliant items in the supply chain, provided the program manager approves the contractor's corrective plan to address the noncompliance (which must not be willful or knowing) and qualify alternative compliant suppliers. The waiver, issued by the Secretary of Defense or Secretary concerned (as defined in 10 U.S.C. §101) and delegable to military department senior procurement executives or the Deputy Secretary of Defense/Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, authorizes acceptance and payment for delivery of an end item containing such non-compliant items if they pose no security, safety, or flight risk. Each waiver requires a written determination detailing the facts and cause of noncompliance, affected parts (including those under evaluation), risk assessment, and overall program risk level; these determinations must be submitted to the congressional defense committees within five days of issuance. Non-compliant items are those restricted under (1) 10 U.S.C. §4863 (strategic materials from American sources), (2) section 1211 of the FY2006 NDAA (procurements from Chinese military companies), (3) 10 U.S.C. §4873 (printed circuit boards), (4) section 154 of the FY2024 NDAA (certain batteries), (5) section 244 of the FY2024 NDAA (munitions chemical materials from certain countries), or (6) section 805 of the FY2024 NDAA (procurements tied to Chinese military companies in the U.S.). (Thus, the program incentivizes supply chain transparency to enable continued program delivery while pursuing corrections.) The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment must brief the Senate and House Armed Services Committees by April 1, 2026, and April 1, 2027, on waivers issued and corrective plans.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense, not later than 180 days after the date of enactment, to submit to the congressional defense committees a report detailing U.S. stockpiles of critical munitions (i.e., those designated on the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s critical munitions list) required to fight simultaneous conflicts in the western Pacific, Europe, Middle East, or Korean Peninsula theaters. The report must include (1) estimates of critical munitions required under such scenarios, factoring in prepositioning, stock movements, and cross-theater risks; (2) days until joint force exhaustion of current stockpiles; (3) industrial base replenishment time, incorporating the Out-Year Unconstrained Total Munitions Requirement under 10 USC 222c (i.e., annual reports on unconstrained munitions needs and inventories for each armed force, including protracted warfare assumptions doubling operation plan durations) and a prior study but excluding certain DoD instruction assumptions; (4) production needs to address shortfalls between current rates and scenario requirements; (5) lessons from Ukraine on munition consumption; (6) projected stockpiles of Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and affiliates; and (7) U.S. allies' stockpiles and burden-sharing opportunities. Not later than 90 days after that report, the section requires a plan to implement critical munitions requirements for simultaneous conflicts in the next budget cycle, describing industry, arsenal, and depot needs; the Secretary may waive this with a justification report assessing gaps between current and report-identified requirements.

This section permanently extends the demonstration and prototyping program under section 842 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 to advance international product support capabilities (i.e., repair and spares availability) from allies for U.S. forces in a contested logistics environment by striking the program's sunset provision. It also expands the covered capabilities in subsection (b)(2) to include commercially advanced digital manufacturing facilities for rapid, distributed parts production closer to the point of use.

This section establishes an annual requirement for the Secretary of Defense to produce an estimate of demand by U.S. allies and partners for U.S.-produced munitions and specified expendables across the future-years defense plan. (As background, 10 U.S.C. 222c requires chiefs of staff of the armed forces to submit annual reports to congressional defense committees detailing out-year unconstrained total munitions requirements—i.e., projected needs unconstrained by budgets or production capacity—broken out by categories such as combat, operations, readiness, and protracted warfare, along with inventories and procurement rates.) The estimate must be disaggregated by specific munitions type and ally or partner and include analytical inputs such as foreign military sales data, operational analyses for contingency scenarios, wargaming results, and bilateral discussions. This section further directs the Secretary to issue guidance by March 1, 2026, for developing and collecting necessary data—which must consider leveraging the estimate for planning, wargaming, and net assessments and analyze its effect on the Out-Year Unconstrained Total Munitions Requirement under 10 U.S.C. 222c—and to assess by March 30, 2026, whether existing DoD information systems can collect and analyze the required data (considering costs versus creating a new system). (Thus, the estimate may expand munitions requirements planning to account for allied demands.) This section defines "specified expendables" as chaff, flares, sonobuoys, decoys, disposable jammers, and other items deemed appropriate by the Secretary.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, not later than 180 days after enactment, to revise subpart 242.15 of the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) and related guidance, including the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), to establish an objective, fact-based system for contractor performance reporting that focuses exclusively on verifiable, measurable negative performance events. The revisions require (1) eliminating subjective performance ratings and limiting evaluations to negative events with material impact (including subcontractor events); (2) reporting such events within 30 days of verification and eliminating annual or periodic evaluations unless a negative event occurs; (3) considering negative events and associated scores in source selections to assess risk, with the absence of such events not deemed a deficiency (particularly for nontraditional defense contractors—i.e., entities not performing DoD cost accounting standards-covered contracts for at least one year prior—or new entrants); (4) implementing a standardized scoring mechanism that normalizes events by number of transactions and contract dollar volume, with automatic composite scores reported transparently in CPARS (including contractor access and rebuttal rights); and (5) mandating reporting of specific negative events, including delivery of defective products, delinquent deliveries, improper technical data markings, defective pricing, failure to flow down clauses to subcontractors, false claims, regulatory non-compliance, and significant cybersecurity failures or breaches.

This section repeals 50 specified provisions of Title 10, U.S. Code, and prior National Defense Authorization Acts (dating to 1984) related to the defense acquisition system, including pilot programs for rapid prototyping and acquisition authorities, reporting requirements, and organizational directives. (Thus, these repeals eliminate expired, superseded, or redundant measures to streamline DoD acquisition processes.)

This section amends Section 865 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118-159; 10 U.S.C. 4811 note) on defense supply chain resilience and secondary source qualification by— (1) requiring production of all critical readiness parts and systems, including those with sole-source dependencies, excessive lead times, unreasonable pricing, or other supply chain deficiencies; (2) directing the Department of Defense to avoid duplicating review processes for aircraft parts and components or repairs already approved by a civil aviation authority under Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) or Designated Engineering Representative (DER) certification unless a written justification is approved by the commander of a military service systems command and reported to the congressional defense committees; (3) requiring each military department to establish an Expedited Qualification Panel (EQP) to develop standardized templates for Source Approval Requests (SARs); review expedited SARs or PMAs within 14 days; issue conditional approvals (valid for 12 months) or full approvals based on tiered risk criteria; and leverage designated engineering representatives or equivalent third-party certified engineers when appropriate; and (4) defining critical readiness parts and systems (cross-referencing 10 U.S.C. §4324); non-safety critical or non-mission critical items (i.e., major risk parts verified by finite element modeling or similar; minor risk parts verified by dimensional measuring machines or gauges; and low risk consumables verified by material certification or visual inspections); and safety critical or mission critical items (i.e., parts whose failure causes loss of control, catastrophic failure, or loss of life, requiring full qualification, simulation, and physical testing witnessed by an Engineering Support Activity).

This section enhances life-cycle management and product support requirements for covered systems (i.e., major defense acquisition programs and major automated information systems) under 10 U.S.C. §4324 as follows: (1) in the life cycle sustainment plan required before Milestone B approval— (A) requires performance goals (including key performance parameters for sustainment) to be developed in coordination with operational commands and users; and (B) strikes the requirement for a description of foreign military sales opportunities and redesignates major maintenance and overhaul requirements as subparagraph (I) (from (J)); (2) revises product support manager requirements by— (A) mandating a product support manager for each covered system to integrate sustainment activities across the Portfolio Acquisition Executive, materiel and systems commands, sustainment working capital funds, and other enterprise elements; (B) replacing prior duties in paragraph (2) with new responsibilities to (i) adopt predictive analytics and modeling tools to improve material availability, reliability, and operational availability while reducing costs; (ii) select, direct, and coordinate product support integrators and providers; (iii) review and recommend resource allocations; (iv) prevent and resolve diminishing manufacturing supplies, material shortages, and critical readiness issues; (v) manage qualification, certification, and testing of alternative supply sources; (vi) ensure solicitations evaluate offerors on parts selection plans, logistics data, and data rights consistent with intellectual property plans; (vii) inspect and manage data deliveries with the Defense Contract Management Agency; and (viii) update product support strategies at least every five years; (C) requiring each Portfolio Acquisition Executive to establish a Major Program Manager to oversee product support managers for in-service systems; (D) directing establishment of a formal career path for product support managers (including selection criteria, training, and certification aligned with ch. 87 standards), with personnel drawn from sustainment, logistics, supply chain, or engineering experts and incentivized equivalently to acquisition program managers; and (E) requiring each sustainment working capital fund entity to establish a liaison officer program as the dedicated point of contact with product support managers; (3) expands the definition of covered system to expressly include any acquisition or in-service program meeting specified criteria; and (4) adds a definition of critical readiness parts and systems (i.e., parts or systems causing Mission Impaired Capability Awaiting Parts (MICAP), Not Mission Capable Supply (NMCS), or Casualty Report (CASREP) Category 3 or 4 status, or as otherwise designated by the Secretary of Defense).

This section amends various provisions of Title 10, United States Code, governing defense acquisition processes, as follows: (1) in sec. 1749(f)(1), eliminates the requirement for services on a reimbursable basis; (2) in sec. 2222(i)(1)(A), expands systems subject to cost assessments to include real estate systems and adds budget systems, retail systems, health care systems, travel and expense systems, payroll systems, supply chain management systems, enterprise resource planning systems, and contractor management systems; (3) in sec. 3012(3)(B), replaces "lowest overall cost alternative" with "best value"; (4) in sec. 3069, eliminates limitations on low-rate initial production contracts, strikes subsections (b) and (d), and redesignates subsections (c) and (e); (5) in sec. 3204(e), revises approval requirements for justifications for other than full and open competition by establishing tiered thresholds—simplified acquisition threshold to $100 million (approvals by competition advocates or specified officials), over $100 million to $500 million (by heads of contracting activities or agency directors for DARPA, DIU, or MDA), and over $500 million (by senior procurement executives or agency directors)—and restructures delegation authorities in paragraph (6); (6) in sec. 3226(d)(2), authorizes use of specified funds to cover increased program costs, acquire additional end items under sec. 3069, or fund risk reduction and process improvements; (7) in sec. 3243(d), eliminates restrictions and requirements in paragraphs (1)(B) and (2); (8) in sec. 3374(a), expands allowable profit in undefinitized contractual actions to include increased cost risk for pre-award contractor costs meeting agency delivery or price targets; (9) in sec. 3703(a)(1)(A), replaces requirement for "at least two or more responsive and viable competing bids" with "price competition"; (10) in sec. 3705(b), renders offerors ineligible for award absent good faith compliance with data requests unless assessed as a supply source under specified authorities; (11) in sec. 4201, increases major defense acquisition program thresholds to $1 billion (from $300 million in FY1990 constant dollars) and $5 billion (from $1.8 billion in FY1990 constant dollars, now in FY2024 constant dollars) and adds acquisitions for software and covered hardware; (12) and (13) in secs. 4882 and 4884, replaces presidential authority with authority of the Secretary of Defense; and (14) in sec. 4231, strikes subsection (a), redesignates subsections (b) and (c), and inserts a new subsection (a) on conditions with respect to certain matters.

This section requires the chief of staff of each armed force (other than the Coast Guard) to include minimum production levels for munitions in the annual report on out-year unconstrained total munitions requirements and inventories submitted to the congressional defense committees (adding new para. (3) to subsec. (a) of 10 USC 222c). (As background, these reports detail projected munitions needs broken out by combat requirements (by operation plan), current operations, strategic readiness, homeland defense, training and testing, protracted warfare scenarios (i.e., doubled operation plan durations), and worldwide inventories.) The section further requires the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and the service chiefs, to annually determine a minimum production level for each munitions variant to meet the out-year unconstrained total munitions requirement (new subsec. (f)(1)); bases the calculation on total requirements, specified inventory objectives, worldwide inventories, and time to meet requirements (subsec. (f)(2)); and directs incorporation of these levels into the Department of Defense planning, programming, budgeting, and execution process (subsec. (f)(3)). (Thus, munitions procurement is aligned with long-term unconstrained requirements.)

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to enhance military readiness for critical readiness parts and systems (as defined in 10 U.S.C. §4324)—i.e., parts essential to weapon system sustainment—by incentivizing design activities (as defined in MIL-STD-31000C) to expand sources of supply through expedited qualification processes, advanced manufacturing techniques, and risk-informed certification. It requires all new or modified prime contracts to include incentives for supplier diversification at any supply chain tier; mandates review and proposed reclassification of the Acquisition Method Suffix Code (AMSC) within 60 days for sole-source critical parts or systems with lead times greater than one year (absent a national security or operational waiver); requires submission of supplier diversification plans within 90 days of contract award; and enforces compliance through corrective actions, reduced performance ratings, or contract termination. The section further directs expedited qualification procedures, including delegation to Federal Aviation Administration designated engineering representatives or equivalent third parties for parts approved via Parts Manufacturer Approval processes; mandates simulation-based verification to reduce physical testing for non-safety-critical or non-mission-critical items (as defined in sec. 865, NDAA for FY2025), with acceptance of simulation evidence as primary (conditional approvals within 14 days) and establishment of a simulation validation framework within 180 days of enactment; and authorizes enforcement of government technical data rights under 10 U.S.C. ch. 275 subch. I or reverse engineering via the sec. 882 NDAA for FY2025 pilot program if a design activity fails to act within 30 days of notification. Finally, it requires a report to congressional defense committees by December 31, 2027, on implementation metrics, compliance, enforcement actions, and impacts on readiness.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to issue duty-free entry certificates for qualifying supplies (i.e., end products or components imported from countries with which the United States has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for reciprocal procurement of defense items under 10 U.S.C. 4851, or defense items that are eligible products under section 308 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19 U.S.C. 2518)) imported pursuant to Department of Defense (DOD) procurement contracts, except for items already eligible for duty-free treatment under Harmonized Tariff Schedule column 1 special rates or on which duty has been paid. The section further directs the Secretary to (1) track the effects of economic fluctuations—including tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and inflation—on major prime DOD contracts; and (2) submit to the congressional defense committees by January 30, 2026, a report assessing cost increases to DOD and contractors from tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) and section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. 1862), effects on supply chains and lead times for major defense platforms, and the application of section 4851 agreements to the defense supply chain. Additionally, the section requires the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Defense Contract Management Agency, to submit to the congressional defense committees by January 30, 2026, and annually thereafter until January 30, 2030, a report summarizing duty-free entry certificates issued and denied for articles classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheading 9808.00.30 (i.e., U.S. goods returned after repair or alteration abroad).

This section requires the Department of Defense to report any project carried out using other transaction authority under 10 U.S.C. §4021 (i.e., transactions other than contracts, cooperative agreements, or grants for basic, applied, and advanced research projects) in the same manner as other DoD expenditures for inclusion in the searchable public website established by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006.

This section directs the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct an assessment of the competitive effects of defense contractor mergers and acquisitions during the 10-year period ending on the date of enactment. The assessment must address (1) company compliance with recommended remedies; (2) effectiveness of remedies in addressing competition concerns, industrial base sustainability, and national security risks identified by the Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, and Department of Defense; (3) information sharing among those agencies during merger reviews; (4) Department of Defense processes for measuring vertical integration impacts on competition, including data collection and industry information access; and (5) implementation of prior Government Accountability Office, Department of Defense, and Defense Science Board recommendations to enhance competition.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to evaluate telecommunications equipment and services manufactured or provided by TP-Link Technologies Co., Ltd. and its subsidiaries to determine whether they qualify as covered telecommunications equipment or services under section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (41 U.S.C. 3901 note prec.). (As background, section 889 prohibits federal agencies from procuring or using such covered equipment or services, defined as those produced by entities posing national security risks such as Huawei and ZTE.) The Secretary must brief the congressional defense committees on this determination not later than December 1, 2026.

This section prohibits the Department of Defense from procuring for resale any generic drug unless the seller discloses (1) the country in which the drug was manufactured and (2) the country of origin for all active pharmaceutical ingredients and key starting materials.

This section establishes a phased prohibition on the Department of Defense (DOD) acquisition—direct or indirect—of computers or printers manufactured by covered Chinese entities (i.e., entities whose ultimate parent is domiciled in China and subject to specified Chinese national security and intelligence laws, or in which China has an ownership stake), applicable to an increasing share of DOD's total procurement of end-user computing devices such as laptops and desktops (excluding cloud-based services, virtual desktops, and cellular telephones). The prohibition phases in as follows: (1) not less than 10% beginning in FY2026; (2) not less than 25% beginning in FY2027; (3) not less than 50% beginning in FY2028; and (4) 100% beginning in FY2029. The Secretary may waive the prohibition for acquisitions not for operational use, such as for testing, evaluation, exfiltration, or reverse engineering of adversarial products.

This section prohibits the Secretary of Defense from operating or entering into or renewing a contract for the procurement of (1) a covered additive manufacturing machine (i.e., a 3D printing system manufactured in, using software from, or with data storage administered by the People's Republic of China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia, or produced by a covered additive manufacturing company on specified U.S. government screening lists or subject to foreign ownership, control, or influence) or (2) any system that incorporates or interfaces with such a machine. (As background, additive manufacturing machines produce parts by depositing material layer by layer from 3D model data.) The prohibition does not apply to operations or procurements for intelligence, electronic warfare, or information warfare testing, analysis, or training, and may be waived on a case-by-case basis if the Secretary certifies in writing to the congressional defense committees that it is in the national interest.

This section prohibits the head of an executive agency from procuring biotechnology equipment or services from a biotechnology company of concern or entering into, extending, or renewing contracts with entities that use such equipment or services acquired after the applicable effective date (60 days after Federal Acquisition Regulation revision for certain entities; 180 days after for others). It further prohibits obligating or expending agency loan or grant funds, or allowing recipients to use such funds, for those purposes. The section provides waiver authorities, including (1) case-by-case waivers approved by the Office of Management and Budget Director (in coordination with the Secretary of Defense) lasting up to 365 days, extendable once by up to 180 days with congressional notification within 30 days (or 10 days for extensions), and (2) waivers for overseas health care services determined necessary for U.S. employees or contractors with approval and notification. It specifies exceptions for intelligence activities, overseas health care for certain U.S. employees and contractors, commercially or publicly available human multiomic data, and medical countermeasures in response to a public health emergency. It includes rules of construction excluding pre-effective date contracts for up to five years and exempting equipment or services no longer produced by such companies.

This section establishes the SkyFoundry Program, to be administered by the Secretary of the Army as part of the Defense Industrial Resilience Consortium, to encourage rapid development, testing, and scalable manufacturing of small unmanned aircraft systems (small UAS) and components—potentially expanding to associated energetics and other autonomous systems—leveraging commercial and Department of Defense organic industrial base competencies. The program includes (1) an innovation facility operated by U.S. Special Operations Command in collaboration with U.S. Army Materiel Command as a research, development, and testing hub integrating lessons from global conflicts; and (2) a production facility identified and operated by the Commander of U.S. Army Materiel Command in collaboration with industry partners. In carrying out the program, the Secretary of Defense must prioritize alternative acquisition mechanisms including other transaction authority (10 U.S.C. §4022), the middle tier of acquisition for rapid prototyping and fielding (10 U.S.C. §3602), and the software acquisition pathway (10 U.S.C. §3603); leverage authorities such as 10 U.S.C. §2474—including Centers of Industrial and Technical Excellence—to foster public-private partnerships with industry, academia, and nonprofits allowing use of government facilities and co-located teams; prioritize existing Army depot facilities at at least two separate sites (with production at an existing Army depot) and authorize renovation, expansion, or construction using available funds notwithstanding 10 U.S.C. chapter 169 (military construction); ensure delivery of technical data rights under 10 U.S.C. §§3771–3775; and authorize use of Defense Production Act title III authorities (50 U.S.C. §4531 et seq.) to support domestic industrial base capacity.

This section establishes an Economic Defense Unit in the Department of Defense to coordinate and direct economic competition activities (i.e., actions to reinforce military advantage in the economic domain, including leveraging private capital and market actors, procurement, and protecting U.S. or allied economic/technological advantages). The Unit is headed by a Director appointed by the Secretary of Defense from Senior Executive Service positions or equivalent, who serves as a principal staff assistant to the Secretary, reports directly to the Deputy Secretary, and has direct communication access. Unit responsibilities include (1) coordinating DoD economic competition activities and co-chairing the National Defense Economic Competition Research Council; (2) developing requirements, campaign plans, analyses, and net assessments; (3) directing execution, programming, and budgeting; (4) advising the Secretary and Deputy Secretary; (5) leading interagency and private sector outreach; (6) conducting tabletop exercises; (7) allocating funds for projects; (8) co-chairing the National Security Capital Forum; and (9) other activities as directed, with regular updates to the National Security Council. The Unit must develop economic competition requirements (e.g., countering adversary mobilization or ensuring critical materials access), consulting combatant commander priorities, industrial base lists, and experimentation outcomes. The Director must provide quarterly briefings to the Secretary and congressional defense committees on Unit activities, outcomes, and work products, plus annual reports to the committees.

This section provides additional authorities to the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, which develops commercial capital investment strategies, prioritizes critical technologies for DoD benefit, and provides capital assistance through a pilot program to support the defense industrial base. Specifically, it (1) authorizes the OSC Director to charge and collect fees to recover full costs of services and program administration (deposited into the Credit Program Account under subsection (e)(5), available until expended, and not usable for civilian DoD employee salaries or expenses), with the fee authority expiring upon the pilot program's new loan/guarantee expiration date (except for outstanding loans/guarantees), an annual report to congressional defense committees due March 1, and Inspector General audits every two years with reports due June 1; (2) permits the Director to accept services (e.g., legal, financial, technical, professional), including in-kind payments, notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 1342; (3) establishes a conclusive presumption of compliance for OSC loan and loan guarantee agreements; and (4) authorizes the Director to collect debts upon loan or loan guarantee defaults. It also makes conforming amendments, including replacing "Secretary" with "Director" for pilot program loan default determinations and adding fees to the Credit Program Account composition.

This section requires the Director for Operational Test and Evaluation to maintain, on behalf of the Secretary of Defense, enabling and cross-cutting activities that support operational test and evaluation across the Department of Defense, including (1) the Cyber Assessment Program; (2) the Center for Countermeasures; (3) the Test and Evaluation Threat Resource Activity; (4) the Joint Technical Coordinating Group for Munitions Effectiveness Program; (5) the Joint Aircraft Survivability Program; (6) the Joint Test and Evaluation Program; and (7) the Test and Evaluation Transformation Program.

This section expands the directive authority of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering by (1) revising paragraph (2) of 10 U.S.C. §133a(b) to include supervising elements of the Department of Defense relating to research and engineering efforts and to enhance jointness; and (2) adding a new paragraph (4) authorizing direction of the Secretaries of the military departments and heads of other Department elements on matters within the Under Secretary's responsibility.

This section modifies the energetic materials strategic plan and investment strategy of the Joint Energetics Transition Office by adding a requirement to identify raw material waste produced during the explosives manufacturing process and develop plans to reduce waste and optimize production.

This section limits to 90% the obligation or expenditure of FY2026 Operation and Maintenance, Defense-wide, funds for travel expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering until the Secretary of Defense notifies the congressional defense committees that the Department has established the Joint Energetics Transition Office required by 10 U.S.C. §148 and provided it with staff and resources necessary to carry out its responsibilities. (As background, the office—led by a designee of the Under Secretary for Acquisition and Sustainment with a deputy from the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering—develops and updates a strategic plan and investment strategy for energetic materials (i.e., raw materials, ingredients, propellants, pyrotechnics, and explosives) across the munitions supply chain.)

This section adds nuclear fission and fusion energy, and associated infrastructure including advanced nuclear reactors, to the list of covered technology categories for the Office of Strategic Capital (redesignating existing subparagraphs (U) through (GG) of 10 U.S.C. 149(j)(2) as (V) through (HH)). (Thus, the office may prioritize and make eligible investments in such technologies to support Department of Defense needs.)

This section modifies the organization of Assistant Secretaries of Defense reporting to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (i.e., those overseeing industrial base policy and readiness) by (1) establishing an Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Armaments Cooperation, who reports directly to that Under Secretary and whose principal duty is to carry out responsibilities under 10 U.S.C. §133b(b)(10); (2) renaming the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, Capabilities, and Readiness, with conforming references in law and regulation; and (3) eliminating the position of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness.

This section revises the mission of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC)—which assists the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in overseeing joint military requirements—by replacing its seven existing responsibilities, focused on assessing capability gaps, validating requirements, and ensuring interoperability, with eight new ones centered on evaluating threats to inform joint force design, coordinating with combatant commands on operational problems, assessing capabilities against the national defense strategy, identifying gaps and opportunities, and maintaining a repository of joint operational problems and solutions. (Thus, the JROC shifts from approving specific joint performance requirements to broader joint force design and problem-solving.) The section further (1) adds to the JROC's composition, when relevant, the commander of a combatant command (or designee who is a general or flag officer) for topics of significant interest to that command; (2) modifies council advisors by authorizing input from industry on commercial technologies to address operational problems or gaps, while changing certain consultation mandates from "strongly consider" to "consider" and removing outdated references; (3) eliminates restrictions in subsection (e) on establishing performance requirements; and (4) revises definitions to add "capability requirement" (i.e., a capability critical to addressing a joint operational problem) and "joint operational problem" (i.e., a challenge across the joint force in achieving military objectives, including coordination limitations). The section also makes conforming amendments to acquisition-related authorities (e.g., 10 U.S.C. §§3104, 3136, 4251, 4252, 4376, 5514) by removing requirements for JROC validation, approval, or consultation on matters such as program alternatives, cost thresholds, and milestone decisions.

This section designates the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment as the executive agent for Department of Defense oversight of efforts to counter small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) by amending 10 U.S.C. §133b(b)(5). It terminates the Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office of the Army 60 days after enactment, transfers its functions, assets, and civilian employees to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, and deems post-termination references to the Joint Office as references to the Under Secretary's office. The section also makes conforming amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (P.L. 118-159) as follows: (1) to §113 on a plan for additional kinetic effectors for the low, slow, small UAS integrated defeat system, by replacing references to the Secretary of the Army with the Under Secretary and extending the deadline for plan submission to September 30, 2026 (from September 30, 2025); and (2) to §353 on a counter-UAS threat library, by assigning responsibilities to the Under Secretary and establishing a development deadline of June 30, 2027.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on the feasibility and advisability of establishing a Joint Capabilities and Programming Board within the Department of Defense as a consolidated forum for joint military capabilities and program budgeting. The study must assess specified elements—including the Board's potential roles, co-chairing by the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation and Chairman of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, proposed composition and staff, decision-making and operational procedures, impacts on existing entities, benefits, and barriers—and requires a report with analysis and recommendations to the congressional defense committees by July 1, 2026. (Nothing in this section prevents establishment of the Board prior to completion of the study.)

This section requires the Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army to provide the congressional defense committees with a comprehensive briefing at least 60 days before executing any plan to merge, consolidate, or reorganize Army Futures Command (AFC)—which modernizes Army capabilities through science, technology, and innovation—and Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)—which develops Army doctrine, training, and leader development. The briefing must include (1) a description of the proposed changes, including affected commands, subordinate entities, and organizational structures; (2) the strategic, operational, and fiscal rationale; (3) an assessment of impacts on Army readiness and mission effectiveness; (4) resource reallocations, including installation realignments or closures and personnel movements; and (5) an implementation timeline.

This section requires the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to designate, not later than 90 days after enactment, a senior official with extensive experience in veterans services and military transitions to oversee Department of Defense (DOD) policies and programs related to transitioning members of the Armed Forces from active duty to civilian life or reserve components. The Under Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, must prescribe the official's roles, responsibilities, and authorities, which include (1) serving as principal advisor and chief transition officer on transition matters; (2) coordinating with the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Labor, and Education, as well as state, local, and nongovernmental entities; (3) overseeing the Military-Civilian Transition Office and transition programs such as the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and Skillbridge Program; and (4) reviewing those programs for improvements and legal compliance. Not later than 90 days after enactment, the Secretary of Defense must brief the congressional defense committees on the designation and implementation.

This section establishes a congressional notification requirement for the removal or mid-term transfer of Joint Chiefs of Staff members by the President. If such an action occurs before the end of the member's statutory term, the President must submit to Congress, including the congressional defense committees, notice of the action and a statement of the reason not later than five days after it takes effect. (Nothing in the requirement prohibits other authorized personnel actions.)

This section establishes an eight-year term of service for the Commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), with eligibility for appointment to the rank of admiral during the final three years and authority for the Secretary of the Navy to terminate the term early after notifying the congressional defense committees. The section also modifies active commissioned service limits under 10 U.S.C. §636(c) to permit the NAVSEA Commander to serve beyond 40 years to complete the term, not to exceed 45 years total. Additionally, the section directs the Secretary of the Navy, through the Assistant Secretary for Research, Development, and Acquisition and in coordination with the NAVSEA Commander, to submit to the congressional defense committees, not later than 60 days after enactment, an unclassified report (with a possible classified annex and public unclassified portion) on incentives to promote private investment in two new Pacific Coast shipyards for new construction, including consideration of noncontiguous state locations and potential U.S. subsidiaries of Japanese or Republic of Korea shipbuilding companies.

This section prohibits the Secretary of the Navy from taking any action to disestablish the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Pacific, located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, during the one-year period beginning on the date of enactment. It further requires the Secretary (or designee) to brief the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, not later than 180 days after enactment, on (1) the status of the disestablishment decision and (2) its strategic rationale, cost, and benefits.

This section prohibits the obligation or expenditure of FY2026 funds authorized by this Act or otherwise made available for the Department of Defense to consolidate, disestablish, or eliminate a geographic combatant command until not earlier than 90 days after the Secretary of Defense submits to the congressional defense committees a report that, at a minimum, includes (1) a detailed plan for the action, including timelines and associated costs; and (2) a detailed analysis of the anticipated impact on the department's ability to accomplish objectives in the affected area of responsibility, including deterrence, peace and security, and military operations, exercises, and security cooperation with allies and partners.

This section eliminates statutory provisions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Department of Defense by— (1) striking from the Secretary of Defense's annual report to Congress the requirement for reports from each military department on the status of diversity and inclusion of members and civilian employees, including in military service academies, Officer Candidate and Training Schools, and Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs, and redesignating remaining paragraphs (10 U.S.C. 113(c)); (2) striking a clause related to diversity from diversity metrics reporting (10 U.S.C. 113(g)(1)(B)), simplifying measurement of diversity efforts and eliminating certain sub-requirements in related reporting (10 U.S.C. 113(l)), and removing requirements to report data disaggregated by gender, race, and ethnicity (10 U.S.C. 113(m)); (3) repealing the Chief Diversity Officer position (10 U.S.C. 147); (4) striking requirements that promotion boards, continuation boards, and other selection boards reflect the diversity of the armed forces to the extent practicable (10 U.S.C. 573(b), 612(a)(1), 14102(b)) and repealing a related provision for other selection boards (sec. 503(c) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (P.L. 116-283)); (5) repealing the comprehensive policy and annual reports on diversity and inclusion in the military, including goals and metrics (10 U.S.C. 656); (6) repealing the provision addressing identification of gender or personal pronouns in official correspondence (10 U.S.C. 986); (7) revising human relations training requirements to state that training shall include honor, excellence, courage, and commitment (10 U.S.C. 2001(a)(1)(B)); (8) repealing the strategic plan for diversity and inclusion in the armed forces (sec. 529 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (P.L. 116-92)); (9) repealing senior advisors for diversity and inclusion in the military departments and Coast Guard (sec. 913(b) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (P.L. 116-283)); and (10) making a conforming amendment to simplify reporting duties of combatant commanders (10 U.S.C. 118(a)).

This section directs the Defense Science Board to conduct a study evaluating the optimal organizational structure within the Office of the Secretary of Defense to support digital solutions engineering (i.e., development, deployment, and sustainment of artificial intelligence systems, software applications, data engineering solutions, data analytics platforms, and other digital technologies) across the Office of the Secretary of Defense and military departments. The study must (1) assess existing structures and organizations, including service-based software delivery organizations (i.e., military service units for rapid software and digital development), statutory responsibilities, data platforms, effectiveness, resources, and integration challenges; (2) evaluate options such as establishing a new defense agency or field activity, integrating into an existing one, consolidating functions, optimizing current structures, or hybrid approaches; (3) recommend the optimal structure, analyzing advantages/disadvantages, capability gaps, costs, governance (including AI model management), coordination, and unique hiring and acquisition authorities; and (4) provide transition recommendations, including timelines, personnel changes, funding, legislative needs, risks, and success metrics. The Board must transmit the report to the Secretary of Defense by February 1, 2027, who must submit it to the congressional defense committees within 30 days, with any comments.

This section establishes an Advanced Nuclear Transition Working Group within the Department of Defense, to be formed not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act and chaired by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs (or designee), with membership including specified Assistant Secretaries for energy and installations matters across the military departments, the Joint Staff Director for Logistics, and other designated DoD officials. The working group must meet not less than quarterly to (1) develop strategies to accelerate procurement and fielding of commercial advanced nuclear capabilities (e.g., microreactors and small modular reactors); (2) identify critical energy needs of combatant commands and military installations; (3) coordinate interagency efforts, demonstration projects, and commercial engagement; (4) advocate for resourcing; and (5) address barriers such as workforce, licensing, and fuel access. Not later than September 30, 2026, and annually thereafter through 2029, the Chair must submit reports to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees detailing advanced nuclear project status, funding, prioritized use cases (e.g., base power, directed energy weapons, desalination), energy storage assessments, and recommendations for at least three pilot projects; the working group terminates on September 30, 2029. This section also directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a pilot program for deploying microreactors at U.S. military installations to enhance energy resilience and reduce reliance on civilian power grids.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Defense to transfer amounts of FY2026 Department of Defense authorizations made available in this division between such authorizations (or subdivisions thereof), up to a total of $6 billion, with transferred amounts available for the same purposes as the receiving authorization and deemed to increase its authorized amount. Transfers between military personnel authorizations under title IV are excepted from the $6 billion limit; all transfers must support higher-priority items not denied authorization by Congress and require prompt notice to Congress.

This section amends and repeals various statutory requirements for separate budget line items, program elements, and displays applicable to Department of Defense acquisition programs. **(a) Amendments**—(1) revises Section 141 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (P.L. 111-84) to require the Secretary of Defense to procure body armor using funds authorized to be appropriated by this title; and (2) strikes subsection (c) of Section 2284 of title 10, U.S. Code (relating to configurations for the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Defense Program), and redesignates subsection (d) as (c). **(b) Repeals**—(1) Section 219 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (P.L. 113-66; evaluation and assessment of the distributed common ground system); (2) Section 213 of the Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (P.L. 111-383; separate program elements for research and development of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle); (3) Section 111 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (P.L. 110-417; separate procurement line items for the Future Combat Systems program); (4) Section 214 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (separate procurement and research, development, test, and evaluation line items and program elements for the Sky Warrior Unmanned Aerial Systems project); and (5) Section 1502 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (separate display of budgets for Afghanistan and Iraq).

This section directs the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) to provide the congressional defense committees, not later than March 1, 2026, with a one-time briefing on anticipated issues in establishing beginning balances for audits of the Department of Defense's financial statements. The briefing must include (1) identification of each budgetary account known or anticipated to have unsupported beginning balances; (2) descriptions of specific issues preventing supported beginning balances for each account; (3) an explanation of whether generally accepted accounting principles provide sufficient authority, processes, and procedures to resolve such issues, or proposed alternatives; and (4) projected impacts on receiving an unmodified audit opinion for each account without a supported beginning balance.

This section revises the reporting requirements under 10 U.S.C. 240g(b) to direct the Secretary of Defense to submit to the congressional defense committees an updated report on the Defense Business Systems Audit Remediation Plan on the same date as the audited financial statements required under section 240a. (As background, section 240g(a) requires the Secretary to develop and carry out a remediation plan to address material weaknesses and significant deficiencies identified in audits of DoD business systems, which support the department's annual financial statement audits.)

This section requires the Secretary of the Navy to ensure that medium landing ships and light replenishment oilers (TAO-L)—referred to as covered vessels—are procured using commercial design standards and commercial construction practices to the maximum extent practicable and consistent with federal interests. The section further requires the Secretary to designate an entity other than the Department of the Navy to contract for the construction of covered vessels.

This section exempts unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) acquired or developed by the Department of the Navy from senior technical authority (STA) oversight requirements (i.e., designation of an independent senior executive service employee for each vessel class under 10 U.S.C. §8669b(a)). It prohibits the Chief Engineer of the Naval Sea Systems Command from establishing requirements, specifications, or approvals for USVs or UUVs unless pre-approved by the responsible program manager, except that the Secretary of the Navy may apply such measures established by technical domain managers or technical warrant holders for cybersecurity, ordnance and explosives, or warfare systems without program manager approval. (Thus, USVs and UUVs—defined as vessels or vehicles designed to operate on or under water without an onboard human crew—receive streamlined technical oversight compared to manned naval vessels.)

This section prohibits the obligation or expenditure of funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act for fiscal year 2026 to retire or decommission, prepare to retire or decommission, or place in storage any Navy oceanographic research vessel unless the Secretary of the Navy has identified and acquired a suitable replacement vessel for conducting the research previously performed by that vessel.

This section requires the Secretary of the Navy to submit a report to Congress accompanying any budget request for a new flight or block of ships (i.e., a new flight, block, or major modification to a current ship class under a major shipbuilding program). The report must include (1) results of a production readiness review assessing design completion, changes from the prior multiyear procurement authorization, and associated risks; (2) certification that the review supports starting construction; (3) assessment of shipyard facilities and workforce readiness; (4) estimated delivery date and risks to it; (5) assessment of risk management processes and metrics; and (6) for the first ship, plans to oversee and document construction to align detail design with the schedule. The section defines relevant terms, including "first ship," "major shipbuilding program," "production readiness review," and "new flight or block of ships," generally referencing section 8669c of title 10, United States Code.

This section directs the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of the Army, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of State, to jointly submit to the congressional Armed Services Committees, not later than 120 days after enactment of this Act, a report on co-production of non-nuclear auxiliary vessels across the Armed Forces. The report must include (1) a list of suitable vessels for co-production with foreign governments and industry, with details on operational roles, prospects, and compatibility with the Navy, Army, and Marine Corps; (2) an implementation plan for each vessel type, including timelines and costs; (3) required authorities and statutory or regulatory changes; (4) barriers to co-production with resolution recommendations; (5) industry and private capital input on joint ventures; and (6) potential foreign partners and associated shipyards. The report is to be submitted in unclassified form, with a classified annex if necessary.

This section directs the Secretary of the Navy, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, to submit to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees by December 31, 2025, a report on a vessel leasing program that includes (1) a list of non-nuclear vessels suitable for long-term leasing; (2) a plan for implementing a leasing program for surface vessels; (3) a description of authorities necessary to lease commercially built and privately owned vessels; and (4) a description of input from industry and private capital stakeholders on suggested lease terms and incentives.

This section directs the Secretary of the Navy to establish, not later than 90 days after enactment, a three-year pilot program to demonstrate novel automated hull assembly technologies (e.g., for plate preparation, welding, and block assembly) in at least one surface ship or submarine program to reduce construction times and alleviate workforce constraints. The program requires evaluation of the technologies' compatibility with existing shipbuilding processes and assessment of their feasibility in improving subassembly times, overall schedules, workforce efficiency, and safety. Not later than September 30, 2026, and annually thereafter until termination, the Secretary must report to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees on implementation and results, including adaptation times for technologies and processes and impacts on workforce and schedules.

This section extends and modifies the prohibition on using funds to transfer or release into the United States individuals detained at U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (i.e., annual restriction in the National Defense Authorization Act barring such transfers absent congressional approval). Specifically, it (1) extends the prohibition through December 31, 2026 (from December 31, 2025); and (2) revises paragraph (2) to prohibit transfers of individuals who have been held since any date on or before October 1, 2009 (from those who are or were held on or after January 20, 2009).

This section extends the prohibition on the use of funds to construct or modify facilities in the United States to house detainees transferred from United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, through December 31, 2026 (from December 31, 2025).

This section extends the prohibition on using funds to transfer or release individuals detained at Guantanamo to certain countries through December 31, 2026 (from December 31, 2025). It also designates the prohibition as subsection (a), replaces the detainee description with "any individual detained at Guantanamo," and adds subsection (b) defining that term by cross-reference to section 1034(f)(2) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016.

This section extends the prohibition on using funds to close or relinquish control of United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, through 2026 (from 2025).

This section modifies the definition of an individual detained at Guantanamo under Section 1034(f)(2) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (10 U.S.C. 801 note) by (1) replacing "as of" with "on or before" in the introductory matter preceding subparagraph (A), and (2) inserting "at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba" after "Department of Defense" in subparagraph (B)(i).

This section prohibits the Department of Defense from using funds authorized by this Act to knowingly provide active and direct support to any film, television, or other entertainment project if the Secretary of Defense has demonstrable evidence that the project has complied or is likely to comply with a material content censorship demand from the Government of the People's Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, or an entity under their direction to advance Chinese national interests. The Secretary may waive this prohibition by certifying in writing to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees that the waiver is in the U.S. national interest.

This section prohibits the Secretary of Defense from destroying, dismantling, scrapping, cannibalizing, or otherwise rendering permanently inoperable any aircraft manufactured prior to December 31, 1945, that is in the custody or administrative control of the Department of the Air Force as of enactment (i.e., fixed-wing or rotary-wing manned aircraft in military service prior to that date). Aircraft subject to the prohibition may only be (1) retained in Air Force inventory; (2) transferred to the National Museum of the United States Air Force or other official Department of Defense museums; (3) transferred to qualified federal agencies, nonprofit institutions, or museums with demonstrated indoor preservation and public display capabilities; or (4) de-accessioned under a Secretary-approved plan supporting long-term preservation and consistent with guidelines in the committee report accompanying this Act. The Secretary may waive the prohibition on a case-by-case basis if the aircraft is determined beyond practical restoration or preservation, no eligible institution expresses interest within 12 months of public notice, and the congressional defense committees receive written notification and justification at least 30 days prior to disposal.

This section amends quarterly reporting requirements for Department of Defense support to counterdrug activities and activities to counter transnational organized crime (under 10 U.S.C. §284) by requiring, for support under subsection (b), notices to specify (1) the recipient agency; (2) budget, implementation timeline with milestones, delivery schedule, and completion date; (3) funding source and planned expenditures; (4) sustainment arrangements and funding, if applicable; (5) objectives and evaluation framework for capability and performance metrics; and (6) details on prior support provided to the agency over the preceding three fiscal years under this section, section 1033 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998, or other relevant security assistance programs. It also prohibits such support for detention of individuals at military installations, Department of Defense facilities, or Department of Defense-funded facilities unless the Secretary of Defense independently verifies a nexus to drug activities or transnational organized crime prior to transfer. (Thus, this limits potential use of DoD facilities for immigration-related detention absent a verified counterdrug or counter-transnational organized crime connection.)

This section expands authority under 10 U.S.C. §714 to provide physical protection and personal security—using qualified armed forces members and DoD civilian employees—to former or retired officials who previously served as Secretary or Deputy Secretary of Defense, Chairman or Vice Chairman or other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretaries of the military departments, or combatant commanders, if they face serious and credible threats arising from duties performed while employed by the Department of Defense. (Previously, subsection (a) authorized such continuous protection only for current occupants of those positions.) The section further (1) updates subsection (b)(1) to reference individuals other than those described in subsection (a), (2) includes "or reimbursement" for personal security in subsection (b)(4) reporting requirements, (3) revises subsection (b)(6)(A) to require congressional defense committees to receive specified notifications within 15 days (or 48 hours for terminations) of protection determinations—including initial determinations, denials of renewal or reimbursement requests, and terminations—with justifications, threat assessments, and certifications of threat mitigation; and updates subsection (b)(6)(C) to require descriptions of guideline changes, and (4) adds subsection (f) requiring the Secretary of Defense to provide at least 90 days' written notice before terminating or denying renewal of protection, security, or reimbursement for individuals under subsection (a) or (e).

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to provide written notification to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees no later than seven calendar days after using military aircraft, installations, or personnel to support Department of Homeland Security immigration enforcement operations, including the following: (1) type and variant of military aircraft used; (2) number of Department of Defense individuals on board; (3) type, variant, and number of supporting military aircraft, including aerial refueling aircraft; (4) estimated costs, including for transport aircraft, round-trip flight hours, supporting aircraft, and their flight hours; (5) destination country; (6) for flights to or from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, details on both inbound and outbound flights under (1)-(5); (7) any reassignment of personnel from Joint Task Force Guantanamo or other Department of Defense entities to support alien detention; and (8) facility maintenance or upgrades to support operations and associated costs for any federal agency.

This section modifies identification display requirements for members of the armed forces (including the National Guard) and Federal law enforcement personnel providing support to civil authorities (10 U.S.C. 723) by (1) adding a new subsection (b) requiring such members to visibly display the name of their armed force when providing support to civilian law enforcement agencies; (2) redesignating the existing exceptions subsection as (c) and expanding it to apply to both subsections (a) (civil disturbance response to Federal authorities) and (b); and (3) making conforming changes to the section heading, subsection (a) heading, and table of sections.

This section prohibits the operation of connected vehicles on military installations or other Department of Defense property after January 1, 2028, if such vehicles appear on a list of prohibited vehicles to be established and published by the Secretary of Defense on a public DOD website by January 1, 2027. Prohibited vehicles are those designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction of a foreign entity of concern (as defined in 15 U.S.C. 4651)—and that pose undue risks of sabotage or subversion of U.S. information and communications technology products or services; catastrophic effects on critical infrastructure or the U.S. digital economy; or unacceptable risks to U.S. national security or the security and safety of U.S. persons. (Connected vehicle has the meaning given in 15 C.F.R. 791.301 or successor regulations.) The section further requires the Secretary to (1) incorporate existing federal rules in establishing the list; (2) review and update the list annually, with explanations for any subtractions; and (3) consult with appropriate federal agencies and transmit the list and modifications to them. Additionally, the section directs the Secretary to provide the congressional defense committees, by June 1, 2027, with a briefing on an implementation plan that identifies the lead DOD organization; describes identification, assessment, coordination, metrics, compliance, and resource requirements for the prohibition. (Military installation has the meaning given in 10 U.S.C. 2801(c).)

This section directs the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) of the Department of Justice, in coordination with the Office on Trafficking in Persons of the Administration for Children and Families, to continue implementing anti-trafficking recommendations from the Government Accountability Office report entitled “Child Trafficking: Addressing Challenges to Public Awareness and Survivor Support” (published December 11, 2023) by (1) collaborating per leading practices in GAO–24-106038 to develop and implement strategies preventing child trafficking and supporting survivors; and (2) establishing objective, measurable, quantifiable performance goals and targets for anti-trafficking programs for children using baseline data from grantees. It further requires the OVC Director to submit a report to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees within 180 days of enactment describing steps taken.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to submit to the congressional defense committees, not later than 10 days after the President's budget submission for FY2027 through FY2031, a report on contract cancellations during the preceding fiscal year (and during FY2025 in the first report). The report must include, for each affected Contract Line Item Number (CLIN): (1) identification of the CLIN; (2) its total value; (3) total existing obligations against it; (4) any cancellation fee paid, if applicable; (5) a brief justification tagged as non-alignment with Secretary of Defense priorities, requirement no longer exists, requirement has decreased, contract did not meet cost/schedule/performance requirements, or other rationale; and (6) for any "other" rationale, a proposed timeline for a new contract.

This section streamlines Department of Defense (DOD) total force reporting requirements by (1) repealing the annual report on military technicians (previously required under 10 U.S.C. 115a(g)); and (2) incorporating the annual civilian personnel management report requirements (previously under 10 U.S.C. 129(c)) into the annual defense manpower profile report (10 U.S.C. 115a) by adding a new subsection (d) after subsection (c). New subsection 115a(d) requires a detailed discussion of civilian workforce management—transferring specified content from former 129(c)(2)—for (A) the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Defense Agencies, and DOD Field Activities; and (B) the military departments. The section redesignates former subsections (d) through (f) as subsections (e) through (g), respectively, and strikes 10 U.S.C. 129(c). (Thus, the Secretary of Defense submits a single consolidated defense manpower profile report to the Armed Services Committees and Congress by April 1 each year.)

This section directs the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, to submit to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees a report on the number of National Guard members, disaggregated by state, who received sexual assault prevention and response training in the preceding calendar year—not later than 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter, beginning in 2027 and ending in 2031, by March 30 each year.

This section amends Section 1707 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (10 U.S.C. 113 note) to require the Secretary of Defense, upon approving a Request for Assistance for Department of Defense support of immigration enforcement operations, to submit electronic reports to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees within 30 calendar days of approval and every 30 calendar days thereafter. Each report must include (1) details on any transportation support provided, including type and cost; (2) details on any installation or facility support provided, including name and cost; and (3) details on any reassignment of Department of Defense personnel, including units of origin, duration of orders, and cost.

This section requires the Secretary of the Navy to submit two reports to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees. (1) Not later than 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter—in coordination with the Commander of the Military Sealift Command (MSC) and in consultation with specified military commanders—a report on efforts to improve recruitment and retention of MSC civilian mariners (i.e., the U.S. Navy's fleet of active duty and reserve ships operated by civilian mariners that provides ocean transportation for military logistics), including opportunities to integrate mariners into the military command structure, training for military commands on mariner roles, and required authorities. (2) Not later than 90 days after enactment, a report assessing the merits of extending maximum charter durations for commercial and specialty vessels for MSC.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to submit to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, not later than 30 days after enactment and monthly thereafter, a report containing (1) the number of aliens held at Department of Defense installations, disaggregated by location, and (2) the total cost of detaining aliens at Department of Defense installations, regardless of location. The section defines alien as in section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101) (i.e., any person not a citizen or national of the United States).

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and the Commander of U.S. Northern Command, to provide briefings to the congressional defense committees not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act and every 90 days thereafter on expenditures or planned expenditures of funds allocated under section 20009(12) of P.L. 119-21 (approved July 4, 2025) for exploration and development of existing Arctic infrastructure. The briefings must include the amount of funds expended to date, a timeline for future use of funds, and an assessment of the feasibility of viable infrastructure options in the Arctic region.

This section extends through December 31, 2031 (from December 31, 2029), the authority for admission of certain H-2B nonimmigrants (i.e., temporary nonagricultural workers) to Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands under the CNMI immigration transition program.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, to assess the advisability, feasibility, and cost of using Department of Defense personnel to provide translation and interpretation services to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for border security operations and to submit a report on the assessment to the congressional defense committees not later than 180 days after enactment. The report must include (1) an assessment of current Department of Defense personnel capabilities and availability in relevant languages (e.g., Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Swahili, Korean, Urdu, Farsi); (2) an evaluation of impacts on Department readiness, operations, and personnel; (3) an evaluation of impacts on U.S. border operations; (4) a cost estimate, including for administration, training, deployment, and sustainment; (5) a summary of prior or ongoing interagency efforts or agreements between the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security, including reimbursable or nonreimbursable bases; and (6) recommendations for legislative or administrative actions.

This section limits the obligation or expenditure of funds authorized to be appropriated for FY2026 operation and maintenance, defense-wide, and available for travel expenses of the Office of the Secretary of Defense to not more than 75% until the Secretary of Defense submits the following to specified congressional committees: (1) unredacted copies of documents requested by the Senate Armed Services Committee during January 1, 2024, through June 1, 2024; (2) overdue notifications regarding sensitive military operations required by 10 U.S.C. §130f; (3) overdue quarterly reports regarding execute orders required by sec. 1744 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (P.L. 116-92; 10 U.S.C. 113 note); (4) the plan for integrating signals intelligence capabilities on fielded armed overwatch aircraft required by sec. 167 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (P.L. 118-159); (5) guidance on governance and oversight of Department contracts supporting sensitive activities required by sec. 867 of P.L. 118-159; (6) the review of authorities relevant to irregular warfare activities required by sec. 1065 of P.L. 118-159; (7) the plan for implementing responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict required by sec. 907(b) of P.L. 118-159; and (8) the report on lessons learned from the war in Ukraine required by the conference report accompanying P.L. 118-159.

This section establishes oversight requirements for Department of Defense (DoD) sensitive activities by inserting new section 130g into chapter 3 of title 10, United States Code. It (1) requires the Secretary of Defense to keep the congressional defense committees fully and currently informed of such activities; (2) requires written notice to the committees of any compromise or failure within 48 hours; (3) directs the Secretary, in coordination with the committees, to establish compliance procedures consistent with national security and to provide at least 14 days' prior written notice of any changes; and (4) defines "sensitive activity" as operations, actions, activities, or programs that, if compromised, could have enduring adverse effects on U.S. foreign policy, DoD activities, or military operations, or cause significant embarrassment to the United States, its allies, or DoD. Separately, the section directs the Secretary to establish a process—consistent with section 867 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118-159)—for coordinating and deconflicting DoD contracts that support or enable sensitive activities with other federal departments and agencies, as appropriate.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Defense to establish and maintain an Irregular Warfare Exercise Laboratory to (1) support training, experimentation, preparation, and validation of the U.S. Armed Forces for full-spectrum irregular warfare activities and (2) enable activities to build the capacity and interoperability of friendly foreign countries' security forces. The section authorizes the Secretary to carry out such activities using authorities under chapter 16 of title 10, United States Code (i.e., security cooperation authorities), and other applicable statutory authorities.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to submit to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, not later than 180 days after the date of enactment, a report on Department of Defense (DOD) operations at the southern land border. The report must describe (1) DOD efforts to combat transnational organized crime, reduce cross-border flows of illicit synthetic drugs (including fentanyl), and curb illicit firearms trade and human trafficking in the U.S. Northern Command and Southern Command areas of responsibility; (2) DOD's steady-state plan and posture at the border, including operational and readiness impacts and any revisions; (3) military installations and DOD facilities used to support border operations or the Department of Homeland Security; (4) funding sources for current operations; (5) DOD use-of-force policy and training; (6) DOD assessment of compliance with 18 U.S.C. 1385 (commonly known as the Posse Comitatus Act)—which prohibits the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force from executing laws except as authorized by the Constitution or Congress; and (7) challenges in executing these efforts. This section further requires the Commander of U.S. Northern Command to submit semiannual updates (not less frequently than every 180 days) to the congressional defense committees on the initial report's information, during the effective period of Proclamation 10086 (declaring a national emergency at the southern border), Executive Order 14165 (on securing borders), and Executive Order 14167 (on clarifying the military's role in protecting territorial integrity).

This section establishes a University-based secure innovation incubator program within the Department of Defense to accelerate development and transition of innovative technologies for national security, increase secure facilities and networks for classified work at universities, foster collaboration among academia, private sector, and DoD personnel, expand the pool of security-cleared technical talent, and create regional innovation hubs. The program requires secure facilities and networks capable of handling classified information up to the Top Secret or Sensitive Compartmented Information level; selection of universities lacking such facilities based on national security research commitments, DoD relationships, technical capabilities, geographic distribution, and administrative capacity; and a flexible subscription-based access model for authorized users (i.e., university faculty, staff, and students; private sector entities such as small businesses and startups; DoD personnel and contractors; and other federal agency personnel), with access to classified information governed by Executive Order 12968. In implementation, the Secretary must (1) initiate a pilot program with at least three university partners not later than 540 days after enactment, including one within 100 miles of the geographic center of the United States; (2) evaluate the pilot and report findings and expansion recommendations to the congressional defense committees not later than 900 days after enactment; and (3) if successful, expand to at least 10 universities not later than four years after enactment. The section authorizes cost-sharing agreements; requires annual reports to the congressional defense committees on locations, utilization, finances, outcomes, and recommendations; and terminates the program and reporting requirement 10 years after enactment.

This section directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment to prioritize, to the maximum extent possible, clearance by the Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) office of mining and energy project applications and white papers for projects likely to experience significant temporal impacts due to seasonal Arctic climate conditions.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Defense to provide the Afghanistan War Commission—established under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (P.L. 117-81) to review U.S. involvement in the war in Afghanistan—with administrative services, funds, staff, facilities, and other support on a non-reimbursable basis as necessary for the Commission's duties. It further authorizes heads of other federal departments and agencies to provide such support as they determine advisable and as authorized by law.

This section authorizes the co-chairpersons of the Afghanistan War Commission—established by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (P.L. 117-81) to investigate and report on the U.S. experience in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021—to enter into contracts, to such extent and in such amounts as provided in appropriation Acts, to enable the commission to discharge its duties.

This section establishes an independent Commission on the National Defense Strategy in the legislative branch, effective January 5, 2026, to review the most recent national defense strategy—including its assumptions, objectives, missions, investments, force posture and structure, operational concepts, and risks—and to assess the strategic environment. The commission must transmit a detailed report with recommendations to the President and Congress within one year of establishment (by January 5, 2027); provide an initial briefing to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees 180 days after establishment (by July 4, 2026), with additional briefings on request; and has authorities to hold hearings, secure information from federal agencies, use the U.S. mails, and accept non-monetary gifts from non-federal entities (subject to ethics rules and conflict-of-interest safeguards).

This section directs the Secretary of the Air Force to provide meteorological and environmental services for operations of the intelligence community.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to expand the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER)—a Department of Defense system tracking service members' hazardous exposures for sharing with the Department of Veterans Affairs upon transition to civilian life—to document (1) all exposures of Armed Forces members, including those within the United States, such as all-hazard occupational data and environmental hazards (known at the time or later identified through monitoring); and (2) related medical information, including medical encounter data (e.g., diagnosis, treatment, laboratory results) and concerns regarding possible exposures. The section further requires the ILER to be available to Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs health care providers, epidemiologists, researchers, and disability evaluation specialists to improve internal processes and requires documentation in service members' records of service at locations with potential toxic exposure (while protecting classified information from disclosure).

This section classifies the Nevada Test and Training Range as a location where contamination occurred. It directs the Secretary of the Air Force to (1) establish a process to identify current and former members of the Armed Forces stationed there since January 27, 1951; (2) create a process permitting such members to submit documentation or evidence of their assignment; and (3) make all efforts to identify such individuals without requiring them to submit evidence.

This section amends section 721 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, governing reviews by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) of covered real estate transactions near certain U.S. government facilities and property, as follows: (1) authorizes CFIUS to prescribe by regulation a list of national security sensitive U.S. government facilities and property—including certain intelligence community facilities and National Laboratories (as defined in 42 U.S.C. 15801, i.e., 17 specified Department of Energy laboratories such as Argonne National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory)—for purposes of those reviews; (2) requires each CFIUS member agency to annually review its facilities on the list and submit approved reports with recommended updates to the CFIUS chairperson by January 31; and (3) expands CFIUS's annual report to Congress to include a list of covered transactions involving those sensitive sites, a certification that the list reflects agency recommendations, and classified briefings for specified congressional members and cleared staff on the list.

This section extends the disabled veterans' outreach program (DVOP)—under which states must employ DVOP specialists to provide intensive employment services, prioritizing special disabled veterans, other disabled veterans, and others—to also cover eligible persons (i.e., spouses described in 38 U.S.C. 4101(5) or spouses of Armed Forces members who died in service). Specifically, it (1) includes eligible persons within the service priorities, maximum emphasis on the economically or educationally disadvantaged, and specialist assistance with job opportunities, cover letters, and resumes; (2) revises full-time DVOP specialists' duties to include eligible persons and prohibits performance of other duties that detract from those core functions (previously limited to "non-veteran-related" duties); and (3) defines "eligible person."

This section expands the authority of the Marshal of the Supreme Court to provide protection—upon a determination of necessity—to (1) any retired or former Chief Justice or Associate Justice of the Supreme Court or (2) any member of the immediate family of the Chief Justice, any Associate Justice, any retired or former Chief Justice or Associate Justice, or any officer of the Supreme Court.

This section reauthorizes six Second Chance Act grant programs through FY2030 (from FY2023)—(1) state and local reentry demonstration projects; (2) family-based substance abuse treatment; (3) evaluation and improvement of educational methods at prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities; (4) careers training demonstration grants; (5) offender reentry substance abuse and criminal justice collaboration; and (6) community-based mentoring and transitional services to nonprofits—and for reentry demonstration projects, adds as eligible activities (1) substance use disorder treatment, including peer recovery services, case management, and access to overdose education and reversal medications; and (2) reentry housing services. (The Second Chance Act supports state, local, and nonprofit efforts to reduce recidivism by aiding prisoner reentry through treatment, education, employment, mentoring, and related services.)

This section applies ch. 40 of title 37 (Leave) to commissioned officers of the Public Health Service by adding it to the list of title 37 provisions applicable under section 221(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 213a(a)) and, as a conforming change, repeals the Public Health Service Act's existing leave provision (sec. 219; 42 U.S.C. 210-1). (Thus, such officers are subject to the same leave rules—including annual leave accrual, sick leave, and maternity leave—as members of the Armed Forces.)

This section directs the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, to conduct a study of national security risks and cybersecurity vulnerabilities posed by consumer routers, modems, and combination devices designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the influence of a covered country (i.e., a country specified in 10 U.S.C. §4872(f)(2)). The Secretary must submit a report on the study to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation not later than one year after enactment of this Act.

This section requires the Diplomatic Security Service of the Department of State, when issuing tactical gear (i.e., ballistic plates, ballistic plate carriers, helmets, media jackets, tactical pants, and gloves, among other items) to Special Agents, uniform division officers, or personal service contractors, to provide both men’s and women’s sizing options whenever such products are commercially available.

This section establishes a Commercial Space Activity Advisory Committee under the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Office of Space Commerce, not later than 180 days after enactment. The committee consists of 15 members appointed by the Secretary from experts in space policy, engineering, technical, science, legal, academic, and finance fields with significant commercial space industry experience (generally excluding federal employees except certain special government employees); members serve terms of up to 4 years followed by a 2-year ineligibility period. Committee duties include (1) advising on nongovernmental space activities; (2) recommending ways to promote a safe, sustainable, competitive commercial space sector under Department of Commerce jurisdiction; (3) identifying challenges and recommendations related to international obligations, export controls, harmful interference, and radio frequency spectrum; (4) reviewing best practices to avoid contamination of celestial bodies and Earth's environment; and (5) providing information on U.S. and other commercial space activities. The committee terminates 10 years after establishment.

This section amends Section 721 of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 4565), which authorizes the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review covered foreign transactions (i.e., certain acquisitions, mergers, or takeovers by foreign persons) for national security risks, as follows: (1) defines "agriculture" by cross-reference to section 3(f) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203(f)); (2) requires CFIUS, not later than 30 days after notification from the Secretary of Agriculture of a reportable agricultural land transaction (i.e., a transaction that the Secretary believes is covered by CFIUS, involves acquisition of an interest in agricultural land by a non-excepted foreign person, and requires reporting under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 [7 U.S.C. 3501(a)]), to determine whether it is a covered transaction and, if so, whether to request a notice or declaration or initiate review (with an exception for transactions by U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents); (3) adds the Secretary of Agriculture as a CFIUS member with respect to covered transactions involving the purchase of agricultural land, agricultural biotechnology, or the U.S. agriculture industry; and (4) requires the President to prohibit any covered transaction that would result in control by a covered foreign person (i.e., a foreign person acting at the direction of the government of China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea if designated a foreign adversary per regulations) of a U.S. agriculture business or the purchase or lease of agricultural land (per 7 U.S.C. 3508) near a military installation or other sensitive U.S. government facility, unless voluntarily abandoned (with a case-by-case national interest waiver reported to specified congressional committees). This section further requires each CFIUS member agency to submit its most recent spending plan to the CFIUS chairperson within 60 days of enactment; directs issuance of implementing regulations (subject to notice-and-comment rulemaking) within one year of enactment; and makes the amendments effective 30 days after those regulations take effect, applying to transactions proposed, pending, or completed on or after that date.

This section expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should prioritize onshoring critical mineral processing to the greatest extent practicable. This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, to enter into memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with agencies of partner foreign countries (i.e., countries that are sources of critical minerals or rare earth elements, as defined in section 7002(a) of the Energy Act of 2020) for scientific and technical cooperation in mapping critical minerals and rare earth elements (i.e., 17 specified elements including cerium and neodymium). In negotiating MOUs, the Secretary shall seek to enhance supply chain security and resilience by (1) assisting partner countries in mapping reserves through cooperative activities such as geologic data acquisition and analysis, prospectivity mapping, training, capacity building, and education at institutions of higher education; and (2) protecting resulting mapping data from unauthorized access or disclosure to governmental or private entities in countries that are neither parties to the MOU nor allied foreign countries (i.e., NATO members or major non-NATO allies). At least 30 days before entering an MOU, the Secretaries of the Interior and State must notify and submit a report to specified congressional committees detailing implementing partners, scope, activities, estimated costs, and funding sources. The Secretary of State is responsible for ensuring U.S.- or allied-headquartered private companies receive right of first refusal for further development of identified resources and for facilitating private-sector investment; the Secretary of the Interior requires State concurrence on partner selection, MOU negotiation and implementation, notifications, and private-sector consultations.

This section requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), not later than one year after enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026, to furnish telehealth benefits and mail order pharmacy benefits to veterans residing in the Freely Associated States (FAS)—i.e., the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands—subject to existing VA agreements with those governments; and requires VA, beginning not later than one year after such enactment, to make beneficiary travel payments to such veterans (previously at VA discretion). This section further requires VA to submit quarterly reports to the Senate and House Committees on Veterans’ Affairs and Appropriations on the status and costs of implementing these requirements. This section extends limits on certain pension payments under 38 U.S.C. 5503(d)(7) to April 30, 2032 (from November 30, 2031).

This section defines terms for purposes of protecting covered information of at-risk individuals in public records, including (1) "at-risk individual," meaning a Member of Congress, their spouse, parent, sibling, child, person standing in loco parentis, household member, designated employee, or former Member of Congress; (2) "covered information," meaning personal data such as home addresses, personal phone numbers or email addresses, Social Security or driver's license numbers, bank or credit card account numbers, license plate numbers, child identification or school/day care details, travel routes, or precise geolocation data (excluding information in Federal Election Commission filings or candidate qualification records required by law); and (3) "data broker," meaning a commercial entity that collects and sells personal information about non-customers (excluding news organizations, directory services, financial institutions under specified laws, health privacy-regulated entities, and related activities). The section further defines "applicable legislative officers" (Sergeant at Arms and Secretary/Chief Administrative Officer acting jointly), "designated House or Senate employee" (covered employees designated in writing by Members or officers, or officers themselves), "Member of Congress," "immediate family member," "Government agency," "candidate," "covered employee" (as defined in 2 U.S.C. 1301), and "transfer" (sale, license, trade, or exchange for consideration).

This section amends SSA death data-sharing requirements under section 205(r) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 405(r)), effective December 27, 2026, by (1) replacing paragraph (11) to require the Commissioner of Social Security to share data with the operator of the Do Not Pay working system (i.e., the system under 31 U.S.C. 3354(c) to prevent improper payments) via cooperative arrangement, subject to specified protections, including a cost-sharing agreement for state death data; (2) adding paragraph (12) to prohibit the Commissioner from recording a death on a record shared under this subsection absent clear and convincing evidence; and (3) expanding paragraph (7) to require the Commissioner to notify agencies with cooperative arrangements under paragraphs (3) or (11) of errors identifying individuals as deceased.

This section exempts from the worldwide numerical limits on immigrant visas under INA §201(a) certain aliens eligible for family-sponsored preference visas under INA §203(a)(1) or (3) (i.e., unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens or married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens) whose parent (living or deceased) was naturalized pursuant to section 405 of the Immigration Act of 1990 or title III of the Act of October 14, 1940 (as added by section 1001 of the Second War Powers Act of 1942). (Thus, these aliens join other exempt categories such as refugees and asylees and are not counted against annual family-sponsored immigrant limits.)

This section states the sense of Congress that World War II-era sunken Japanese warships, including three oil tankers, near the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau pose a significant environmental threat due to an estimated 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 gallons of oil—approximately one-third of the Exxon Valdez spill—that is already leaking from deteriorating vessels, potentially impacting U.S. military activities, the marine ecosystem, and surrounding communities. It directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and other relevant federal agencies, to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study on removing oil from these tankers—including analysis of costs, logistical requirements, environmental risks, and removal methods—and to submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees by March 1, 2026, addressing (1) operational and environmental risks from current leakage and potential major spills, (2) costs, logistical challenges, and technical approaches for oil extraction or containment, (3) U.S. and international efforts, and (4) recommendations for next steps, resource needs, cooperation, and timelines.

This section directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), in coordination with other relevant federal agencies and through public-private partnerships as appropriate, to map supply chains—from key starting materials through finished dosage forms and distribution—for drugs and biological products (including active ingredients) that are (1) directly related to responding to chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear threats under the National Response Framework or (2) of greatest priority for health care and at high risk of shortage; and to use data analytics to identify national security vulnerabilities. It requires the Secretary to describe HHS roles and responsibilities for monitoring these supply chains, facilitate interagency information exchange (including on production locations and amounts, key materials, and regulatory actions such as inspections, seizures, recalls, and shortage listings), and submit reports to relevant congressional committees—not later than 18 months after enactment and annually thereafter—detailing mapping status and activities, agency roles and gaps, predictive modeling for shortages, industry engagement, drugs/biological products relying on high-risk foreign suppliers or foreign entities of concern for more than 50% of production, those sourced from foreign establishments for more than 50% of production, domestic manufacturing capabilities (including advanced technologies), and supply chain risks (including cybersecurity and critical infrastructure).

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries concerned, to establish by one year after enactment a pathway for medically disqualified entry-level service members to enter civilian positions in the Department of Defense or its components for which they are qualified. The Air Force's Develop, Redistribute, Improve, Vault, Expose (DRIVE) program satisfies this requirement and may serve as a baseline for other military departments. Entry-level service member is defined as a regular or reserve member of the Armed Forces currently attending or ordered within 90 days to attend (1) basic training; (2) a technical school; (3) a service academy; (4) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC); or (5) an officer accession program (e.g., officer candidate school).

This section establishes a Department of Defense program to provide individuals medically disqualified for military service with information and referrals to employment, apprenticeship, and training opportunities in (1) the defense industrial base; (2) cybersecurity or intelligence support roles; (3) research and development in defense technologies; (4) national emergency and disaster preparedness; or (5) other non-military opportunities deemed in the national interest. The Secretary of Defense must collaborate with defense industrial base entities, other federal agencies, and academic institutions to implement the program.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense to submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives, not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, a report describing implementation of the requirements under this subtitle.

This section expands the authorized uses of Attorney General grants to states, units of local government, and Indian tribes for opioid abuse services to include providing training and resources for first responders on the use of containment devices to prevent secondary exposure to fentanyl and other potentially lethal substances, and purchasing such devices. (As background, the grants support criminal justice responses to opioid abuse, such as treatment alternatives to incarceration, drug and mental health courts, and naloxone distribution to first responders.)

This section revises the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction (34 U.S.C. 21111) by (1) requiring the Attorney General to submit the strategy to Congress every fourth year (from every second year) beginning February 1, and (2) replacing the required contents with new elements, including analyses of current and future child exploitation trends and challenges (e.g., new technologies); goals and strategic solutions involving interagency coordination, judicial engagement, legislative recommendations, law enforcement cooperation, and private sector involvement; reviews of federal efforts and Department of Justice policies; resource estimates for agencies such as ICAC task forces, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Service, and others; detailed assessments of the ICAC Task Force Program (e.g., numbers of task forces, personnel, grants, arrests, prosecutions, and convictions); training needs assessments; federal investigative and prosecution statistics; and data on child pornography trafficking (e.g., CyberTipline tips). The section further revises the National Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program (34 U.S.C. 21112) by (1) expanding its purpose to include Tribal and military law enforcement and child victim identification; (2) directing the Attorney General to evaluate funded task forces for effectiveness; (3) authorizing grants to establish new or continue existing task forces; (4) requiring training for task force members; and (5) adding limited liability protections for ICAC task forces, participating law enforcement agencies, and their personnel against civil claims or criminal charges arising from program activities. (As background, the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2008 directs these programs to coordinate federal, state, local, tribal, and private efforts against child sexual exploitation crimes, primarily online, including through ICAC task forces that investigate internet crimes against children.)

This section establishes eligibility under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program for retired law enforcement officers—defined as individuals who separated from service in good standing from a public agency—who die or become permanently and totally disabled as the direct and proximate result of a personal injury from a targeted attack due to the officer's prior service. (As background, the PSOB program provides a one-time death benefit of $250,000, adjusted for inflation per subsection (h), to survivors of public safety officers killed in the line of duty, with distribution priorities to spouse, children, designees, parents, or others; it also provides disability benefits to officers permanently and totally disabled in the line of duty.) The amendments take effect on the date of enactment and apply to any pending matter or claim filed thereafter, including incidents involving retired officers on or after January 1, 2012.

This section establishes the COPS Strong Communities Program within the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program (34 U.S.C. 10381), authorizing the Attorney General to use appropriated COPS funds beginning in FY2025 to award competitive grants to local law enforcement agencies for officers and recruits to attend law enforcement training programs at eligible entities—defined as institutions of higher education (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1001) coordinating with local law enforcement or local law enforcement agencies themselves—if participants agree to serve four years full-time within eight years after training in an agency located within seven miles (or 20 miles in counties with fewer than 150,000 residents) of their residence where they have lived for at least five years. Grant recipients must obtain employment certifications from hiring agencies, and participants who fail to complete the service obligation must repay benefits received (with regulations specifying extenuating circumstances for waiver). This section further requires the Attorney General to submit annual reports to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees detailing grant recipients' locations and numbers, planned training participants, and actual training attendance and post-training retention by recipients from enactment through the report period.

This section establishes a new grant program under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, cited as the Retired Law Enforcement Officers Continuing Service Act, authorizing the Attorney General to award grants to state, local, tribal, or territorial law enforcement agencies (eligible entities) for hiring retired law enforcement officers. Grants support (1) training civilian employees to perform civilian law enforcement tasks (i.e., assisting in homicide, carjacking, or financial crimes investigations; compliance reporting; reviewing camera footage; crime scene or forensics analysis; or providing computer, network, IT, or internet expertise—but excluding arrests or use of force) and (2) having retirees perform such tasks, provided hires have appropriate current training or participate in continuing education and undergo disciplinary record checks via the National Decertification Index or prior agency personnel files. The section further requires the Department of Justice Inspector General to audit grantees annually beginning in the first full fiscal year after enactment to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse; excludes recipients with unresolved audit findings for two fiscal years; prioritizes applicants without such findings in the prior three fiscal years; mandates annual certifications to congressional judiciary and appropriations committees on audit completion, exclusions, and duplicative grant reporting; and directs the Attorney General to avoid duplicative awards for similar purposes, with required congressional reporting if such awards occur.

This section establishes requirements and performance standards for trauma kits purchased by grantees using funds under this subchapter (i.e., Bureau of Justice Assistance grant programs that support state and local criminal justice improvements). It defines a trauma kit as a first aid response kit including a bleeding control kit for life-threatening hemorrhage; requires grantees to purchase only compliant kits (or assemble them from compliant components); and directs the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, within 180 days of enactment and after stakeholder consultation, to develop and publish minimum standards requiring specific components—(1) a tourniquet recommended by the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care, (2) a bleeding control bandage, (3) nonlatex gloves and a pen-type marker, (4) blunt-ended scissors, (5) specified instructional documents, (6) a suitable container, and (7) additional approved supplies—along with optional best practices for officer training, vehicle/facility deployment, and maintenance. (Thus, federally funded trauma kits must include tools to control severe bleeding in emergencies such as active shooter incidents.)

This section amends the Public Safety Officers' Benefits (PSOB) program by adding a new subsection (q) that (1) defines carcinogens and lists 22 exposure-related cancers (e.g., bladder, brain, breast, leukemia, lung, mesothelioma, prostate), including World Trade Center-related health conditions; and (2) presumes that a public safety officer's exposure to a carcinogen during line-of-duty activity constitutes a personal injury resulting in death or permanent and total disability if the officer began serving at least five years before diagnosis, the diagnosis occurred no more than 15 years after last active service, and the cancer directly and proximately causes the death or disability. (The presumption is rebuttable by competent medical evidence that the exposure was not a substantial contributing factor.) (As background, the PSOB program provides a one-time payment to survivors of public safety officers killed in the line of duty or to officers permanently and totally disabled in the line of duty.) This section further directs the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to review and update the list of exposure-related cancers at least every three years—or pursuant to petitions—based on competent medical evidence of significant risk to public safety officers (e.g., from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Toxicology Program, National Academies, or International Agency for Research on Cancer), with petitions referred to medical experts within 180 days and Congress notified of substantive actions within 30 days. The amendments apply to claims for deaths on or after January 1, 2020, resulting from exposure-related cancer and to disability claims filed on or after that date predicated on such cancer. This section states that individuals are not precluded from filing such claims notwithstanding other provisions of law.

This section establishes definitions for terms used in this subtitle, including (1) "Administrator" as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator or designee; (2) "beneficial owner," with respect to a vessel, as a person exercising substantial control over the vessel or owning at least 50% of its ownership interests; (3) "fish" as finfish, crustaceans, and mollusks; (4) "forced labor" as defined in section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1307); (5) "IUU fishing" as activities described as illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in paragraph 3 of the 2001 FAO International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing; (6) "regional fisheries management organization" and "RFMO" as defined in 16 U.S.C. 7402; (7) "seafood" as fish, shellfish, processed fish, fish meal, shellfish products, and all other forms of marine animal and plant life other than marine mammals and birds; and (8) "Secretary" as the Secretary of Commerce acting through the NOAA Administrator or designee.

This section establishes a statement of U.S. policy to partner, consult, and coordinate with foreign governments (national and subnational), civil society, international organizations, international financial institutions, subnational coastal communities, commercial and recreational fishing industry leaders, artisanal or subsistence fishing communities, fishers, and the private sector to counter illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing—including potential links to forced labor, human trafficking, and other maritime security threats—by (1) continuing whole-of-government efforts as outlined in the Maritime SAFE Act (16 U.S.C. 8002, 8003); and (2) prioritizing prevention of IUU fishing at its sources and supporting implementation of the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries agreement, as well as joint research and follow-on actions to ensure sustainability of fish stocks in Arctic international waters.

This section replaces subsections (c) and (d) of Section 608 of the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1826i)—which previously authorized identifications and trade restrictions against nations whose vessels conduct illegal, unreported, or unregulated (IUU) fishing—with new subsections (c) through (e) that establish a public "IUU vessel list" of foreign vessels, fleets, and beneficial owners engaged in IUU fishing or related activities (e.g., transshipment or resupply). Subsection (c) requires the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Secretary of State and other agencies, to develop, maintain, and publish the list based on clear and convincing evidence, including vessels that: (1) appear on an international fishery management organization IUU list; (2) undermine such organizations' measures (e.g., by exceeding catch limits); (3) are reported by U.S. authorities for IUU fishing where the flag nation fails to act; (4) conduct IUU fishing on the high seas as identified by U.S. authorities; (5) provide non-emergency services to listed vessels; (6) fish commercially in the U.S. exclusive economic zone without a permit; or (7) share beneficial ownership with listed vessels. The Secretary may accept nominations from specified executive agencies, members of the Combined Maritime Forces, or qualified civil organizations; must notify owners and allow 90 days for response and a hearing before the Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing; and must publish procedures, an annual Federal Register notice, and a website with vessel details (e.g., IMO number, owner address, basis for listing). Subsection (d) authorizes the Secretary to apply pre-enactment actions from former subsection (c)(2) (e.g., trade restrictions) against listed vessels, owners, and operators. Subsection (e) makes listings permanent unless a beneficial owner applies for removal in consultation with the Secretary of State and relevant agencies.

This section establishes visa sanctions under the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1826i) against foreign owners or beneficial owners of vessels on the illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing vessel list developed under that Act. Such persons are inadmissible to the United States, ineligible for visas or other entry documentation, and subject to revocation of any current visas; the President may waive these sanctions in the national interest, with exceptions for U.S. intelligence or law enforcement activities, international obligations, vessel/crew safety provisions, and listings due to force, threats, fraud, or coercion.

This section (1) encourages the President, when negotiating relevant agreements with foreign nations after enactment, to consider impacts on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and fishing involving forced labor and to ensure such agreements strengthen efforts against them if consistent with higher U.S. national interests; (2) states that the federal government should encourage other nations to ratify IUU fishing treaties to which the United States is a party—including the Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures for High Seas Fishing Vessels (High Seas Fishing Compliance Agreement) and the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (Port State Measures Agreement)—and pursue bilateral and multilateral initiatives against IUU fishing and forced labor fishing through the G7, G20, United Nations, International Labor Organization, and International Maritime Organization, with clear burden-sharing arrangements; and (3) designates any memorandum of understanding or other non-binding instrument to further these objectives as a qualifying non-binding instrument for purposes of 1 U.S.C. 112b (i.e., subjecting it to monthly reporting to congressional leadership and committees).

This section directs enhanced Coast Guard enforcement against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing on the high seas through the following provisions: (1) requiring the Commandant to increase year-to-year observation of suspected IUU vessels and consider boarding them to the greatest extent practicable; (2) requiring the NOAA Administrator, in consultation with the Coast Guard Commandant and Secretary of State, to coordinate regularly with regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) on corrective measures taken by flag states (i.e., countries where vessels are registered) following boardings; and (3) requiring the Commandant to submit a report to Congress not later than three years after enactment on bilateral agreements used in counter-IUU patrols, observed IUU incidents during high seas boarding and inspections (HSBI), vessel registration details, boarding refusals, and potential additional enforcement actions.

This section amends the duties of the Interagency Working Group on Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing under the Maritime SAFE Act by adding requirements to (1) develop a strategy for leveraging enforcement capacity against IUU fishing, focusing on nations identified for IUU activities under 16 U.S.C. 1826j(a); and (2) develop a strategy for leveraging enforcement capacity against associated abuses such as forced labor in fishing, using resources including the List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor, the Trafficking in Persons Report, Customs and Border Protection forced labor enforcement, and Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act reports. This section further directs the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Commandant of the Coast Guard and the NOAA Administrator, to (1) identify regional fisheries management organizations to which the United States is a party lacking a high seas boarding and inspection program; and (2) identify obstacles, needed authorities, or existing efforts to increase implementation of such programs and take appropriate action.

This section directs the Working Group established under the Maritime SAFE Act (i.e., to coordinate U.S. government efforts combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and enhancing maritime security) to submit a report, not later than three years after enactment of the Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025, identifying information and resources to prevent fish products from IUU fishing or fishing involving forced labor from affecting U.S. commerce without increasing burdens on non-IUU seafood. The report must include (1) identification of relevant data streams collected by Working Group members; (2) identification of legal, jurisdictional, or other barriers to data sharing; (3) in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, recommendations for joint enforcement protocols, collaboration, and information sharing between federal agencies and states; (4) recommendations for sharing and developing forensic resources between federal agencies and states; (5) recommendations for enhancing capacity for effective field investigations and enforcement with state officials; (6) recommendations for improving data collection and automated risk-targeting of seafood; (7) recommendations for disseminating IUU and forced labor fishing information to governmental and nongovernmental entities to enable action and awareness, including establishing an IUU fishing information sharing center; (8) recommendations for an implementation strategy ensuring non-IUU seafood is unaffected; and (9) analysis of other countries' IUU policies and regulations to inform U.S. alternatives.

This section (1) encourages the Secretaries of State and Commerce, in consultation with relevant agency heads, to increase support for programs providing technical assistance, institutional capacity, and investment to foreign nations' fisheries sectors for sustainable fisheries management and to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and fishing involving forced labor, with a focus on priority regions and flag states; and (2) directs the Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing to analyze U.S. capacity-building expertise and resources for such support, including potential public-private and multilateral collaboration on local fisheries science, management, maritime enforcement, and judicial capabilities.

This section directs the Secretary, in coordination with the heads of other relevant agencies, to (1) develop a strategy for utilizing U.S. government data to identify seafood harvested on foreign vessels using forced labor and (2) publish information on that strategy on a publicly accessible website.

This section requires (1) the Secretary of Homeland Security, with support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator and the interagency Working Group on maritime security and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, to assess not later than one year after enactment the impact of new technologies (e.g., remote observing, drones, risk assessment tools, satellite Wi-Fi) on IUU fishing and associated crimes (e.g., trafficking, forced labor) and to propose integration strategies for global fisheries enforcement; (2) the Secretary of State, with support from the Secretary of Commerce, to study not later than two years after enactment the collaboration between Russian and Chinese fishing industries—including Chinese reprocessing of Russian seafood—and its effects on U.S. interests and to issue a report with classified and unclassified portions; (3) amends the law establishing the Working Group (16 U.S.C. 8031) to direct the NOAA Administrator, in consultation with the Working Group, to commission a National Academies study analyzing the occurrence of IUU fishing and forced labor fishing by flag state, U.S. and global economic costs, and effectiveness of counter-strategies (domestic and international), and authorizes $2 million for this purpose; and (4) requires the NOAA Administrator to submit to Congress not later than 24 months after enactment a report on the National Academies study, including findings and recommended research gaps.

This section reauthorizes appropriations for the National Sea Grant College Program—which supports university-based research, education, training, and extension on ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes issues—through FY2031 (from FY2025). Specifically, it (1) extends the $105,700,000 annual authorization level for general program activities to each of FY2025 through FY2031 (previously authorized only for FY2025); and (2) revises the additional $6,000,000 annual authorization for priority competitive grants—from FY2021 through FY2025 to FY2026 through FY2031.

This section establishes an exception prohibiting the imposition of sanctions on the importation of goods pursuant to any authorities or requirements provided by this Act or its amendments. It defines "good" as any article, natural or man-made substance, material, supply, or manufactured product, including inspection and test equipment (excluding technical data).

This section provides a rule of construction clarifying that nothing in the Act limits the authority under, or otherwise affects, any provision of law in effect on the date of enactment that is not amended by the Act.

This section revises 10 U.S.C. 321, which authorizes the Secretary of Defense to pay incremental expenses incurred by friendly foreign countries for their participation in U.S.-supported training. Specifically, it (1) modifies eligible foreign forces in subsection (a)(1) to national security forces, or other security forces that perform a similar function (by striking one category of forces and renumbering); (2) expands the authority in subsection (b) to cover exercises in addition to training, streamlines payable expenses (e.g., expenses of U.S. forces assigned or allocated to a combatant command in conjunction with such activities), and eliminates one category of expenses; (3) requires semiannual reports to the appropriate committees of Congress on training and exercises conducted (replacing prior subsection (e)); and (4) updates the section heading and table of sections to reflect "training and exercises." This section also repeals the Secretary of Defense Strategic Competition Initiative (section 1332 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022; 10 U.S.C. 301 note).

This section modifies the authority for the Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School by (1) requiring the Secretary of Defense to operate the School (previously permissive); and (2) prohibiting tuition fees charged for personnel attending the School from including any amount for the fixed costs of operating and maintaining the School. (As background, the School provides naval small craft instruction and training to the military and other security forces of friendly foreign countries to enhance professionalism, readiness, respect for human rights, and interoperability.)

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State and with the agreement of the Government of Mexico, to submit to the appropriate congressional committees (i.e., Armed Services, Foreign Relations (Senate)/Foreign Affairs (House), and Appropriations committees of each chamber) a plan, within 180 days of enactment, for a pilot program of joint training in the United States between U.S. and Mexican armed forces on tactics, techniques, and procedures to counter transnational criminal organizations, including (1) rotary-wing aircraft operations and (2) in consultation with civilian agencies, joint network analysis, counter threat financing, counter illicit trafficking (e.g., narcotics, weapons, humans, natural resources), and assessments of key nodes. The Secretary of Defense must begin implementing the pilot program within 15 days of submitting the plan.

This section establishes a pilot program authorizing the Secretary of Defense to enhance the cybersecurity capabilities of the Panama Canal Authority (i.e., the entity created by Panama to operate the canal following its 1999 transfer from U.S. control) and Panama's national security forces, and to increase cybersecurity cooperation in U.S.-Panama joint military training exercises such as PANAMAX (i.e., an annual multinational exercise coordinated by U.S. Southern Command to secure the Panama Canal). The program's purposes include implementing the U.S.-Panama Cyber Cooperation Arrangement; providing training, technical assistance, and joint exercises to mitigate ransomware attacks and vulnerabilities affecting critical infrastructure in and around the Panama Canal; and incorporating cybersecurity into exercises like PANAMAX and an annual joint tabletop exercise. Authorized activities include education and information sharing; collaboration on cyber incident response; technical assistance for threat detection and mitigation; development of supply chain security practices; and joint training and domain awareness efforts. This section further requires the Secretary to submit to the congressional defense committees, not later than one year after enactment and annually through 2030, a report on program implementation and challenges, known cyber threats such as ransomware incidents targeting Canal-area infrastructure, and mitigation actions taken, along with a briefing on the report. All activities must protect sensitive information and U.S. national security interests. The section defines relevant terms, including critical infrastructure, Panama Canal Authority, PANAMAX, and ransomware attack.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense to revise Department of Defense Instruction 5111.20 (or a successor instruction) to require that, in selection analysis for the State Partnership Program—under which National Guard units of U.S. states and territories partner with foreign countries' military or security forces, or disaster-response organizations, to advance U.S. security cooperation objectives—the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (1) consider the number of current partnerships assigned to the National Guard of a state and (2) give preference to states that have only one active assigned country.

This section expands the authority under 10 U.S.C. §333 for the Secretary of Defense—with concurrence of the Secretary of State—to conduct or support programs providing training and equipment to foreign national security forces by adding three new purposes: (10) disaster risk reduction or response operations, (11) space domain awareness and space operations, and (12) foreign internal defense operations (in addition to the nine existing purposes such as counterterrorism and maritime security). It also makes a conforming amendment in subsection (g)(2) by striking "made."

This section extends through 2029 (from 2027) and modifies the pilot program to improve cybersecurity cooperation with military partners in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands (previously titled for Southeast Asia only) by expanding eligibility to include each member country of the Pacific Islands Forum. (The program, authorized pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 333, supports training and equipment for foreign national security forces, including for cyberspace security and defensive cyberspace operations.)

This section extends authority for the Department of Defense to reimburse certain coalition nations (e.g., Pakistan) for logistical and military support provided to U.S. military operations through December 31, 2026 (from December 31, 2025).

This section extends through FY2026 (from FY2025) and otherwise modifies the Department of Defense's authority to provide funds, logistics, supplies, and services in support of the Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq (OSC-I), which coordinates U.S. security assistance, training, and equipping for Iraqi forces. It also (1) strikes subsection (c); and (2) redesignates subsections (d) through (h) as subsections (c) through (g), respectively.

This section extends Department of Defense authority to provide assistance (e.g., training, equipment, supplies, and sustainment) to vetted Syrian groups and individuals through December 31, 2026 (from December 31, 2025).

This section extends authority to provide assistance to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria through December 31, 2026 (from December 31, 2025), strikes subsection (g), redesignates subsections (h) through (o) as subsections (g) through (n), respectively, and makes conforming changes to cross-references. (The authority enables the Department of Defense to provide equipment, training, supplies, and sustainment support to governments and forces in Iraq and Syria combating ISIS.)

This section extends through December 31, 2027 (from December 31, 2025), the authority established by Section 1226 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (22 U.S.C. 2151 note) for the Department of Defense—with concurrence of the Secretary of State—to provide training, equipment, supplies, logistics, and sustainment support to appropriately vetted elements of foreign security forces (originally focused on countering ISIL in Iraq and Syria). (As background, the authority supports U.S. partners conducting counterterrorism operations.) It further modifies the authority by (1) striking from subsection (a)(1) the phrases "with Syria and Iraq" and "with Syria" (thus broadening eligible recipients beyond those countries), and (2) striking paragraph (1) of subsection (c) and redesignating paragraphs (2) through (4) as paragraphs (1) through (3), respectively.

This section directs the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to support defenses and security at al-Hol and Roj camps in northeast Syria—including through aid to vetted foreign partner security forces—to prevent detainee escapes and radicalization that could contribute to ISIS resurgence. (As background, the camps, managed by U.S. partner Syrian Democratic Forces, hold thousands of ISIS-affiliated detainees, primarily women and children.) It further requires the Secretary to submit annual reports to the congressional defense committees, beginning March 31, 2026, and through March 31, 2028, covering (1) U.S. Armed Forces counterterrorism and security operations in northeast Syria, (2) detainee conditions and camp security, (3) support to foreign partners administering the camps and surrounding areas, (4) effectiveness of such support in maintaining stability, (5) repatriation efforts to detainees' home or third countries, (6) long-term camp security plans, and (7) recommendations to prevent ISIS resurgence.

This section prohibits the obligation or expenditure of amounts authorized to be appropriated by this Act to reduce the number of or consolidate U.S. Armed Forces bases in Syria until 15 days after the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Commander of U.S. Central Command, submits to the congressional defense committees a certification that any such reduction or consolidation would continue to meet objectives consistent with section 1209(a) of the Carl Levin and Howard P. "Buck" McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (authorizing assistance to vetted Syrian groups and individuals to counter ISIL and associated groups). The certification must include (1) a description of the current U.S. force posture in Syria and levels of engagement with Syrian groups and individuals; (2) a description of the planned posture and projected engagement levels resulting from the reduction or consolidation; (3) an assessment of gaps in assistance, training, or enabling for such groups; (4) a description of mitigation measures for identified gaps; and (5) a plan to balance consolidation with an offshore presence to sustain counterterrorism operations.

This section limits obligation or expenditure of more than 50% of FY2026 funds for the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq (OSCI)—which manages U.S. security assistance, training, and equipment for Iraqi forces—until the Secretary of Defense certifies to the congressional defense committees that the Iraqi government has taken credible steps (1) to reduce the operational capacity of Iran-aligned militia groups not integrated into the Iraqi Security Forces through a publicly verifiable disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration process; (2) to strengthen the Prime Minister's authority and operational control over the Iraqi Security Forces as Commander-in-Chief; and (3) to investigate and hold accountable militia members or security forces operating outside the formal chain of command who attack U.S. or Iraqi personnel or act illegally or in a destabilizing manner. The Secretary may waive the limitation for up to 180 days if in the national security interest of the United States, with written submission to the committees within 15 days providing justification and a description of steps to achieve the objectives.

This section repeals (1) the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution (P.L. 102-1), enacted to authorize military action against Iraq following its 1990 invasion of Kuwait, and (2) the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (P.L. 107-243), enacted to authorize action against the Iraqi regime for weapons of mass destruction and related threats. (These resolutions provided specific statutory authorizations under the War Powers Resolution for introducing U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities against Iraq.)