House Armed Services Committee Issues Defense Authorization Report – Title XIV (Other Authorizations) (Other Matters)

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 -- The conference report (H.Rpt. 115-404) was issued on legislation (H.R. 2810) to authorize appropriations for fiscal 2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year. The report was advanced by Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, on Nov. 9.

TITLE XIV--OTHER AUTHORIZATIONS

Subtitle B--Other Matters

SEC. 1411. AUTHORITY FOR TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO JOINT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE-DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL FACILITY DEMONSTRATION FUND FOR CAPTAIN JAMES A. LOVELL HEALTH CARE CENTER, ILLINOIS.

(a) Authority for Transfer of Funds.--Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by section 1405 and available for the Defense Health Program for operation and maintenance, $115,500,000 may be transferred by the Secretary of Defense to the Joint Department of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund established by subsection (a)(1) of section 1704 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111-84; 123 Stat. 2571). For purposes of subsection (a)(2) of such section 1704, any funds so transferred shall be treated as amounts authorized and appropriated specifically for the purpose of such a transfer.

(b) Use of Transferred Funds.--For the purposes of subsection (b) of such section 1704, facility operations for which funds transferred under subsection (a) may be used are operations of the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center, consisting of the North Chicago Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the Navy Ambulatory Care Center, and supporting facilities designated as a combined Federal medical facility under an operational agreement covered by section 706 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110-417; 122 Stat. 4500).

SEC. 1412. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME.

There is hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2018 from the Armed Forces Retirement Home Trust Fund the sum of $64,300,000 for the operation of the Armed Forces Retirement Home.

SEC. 1413. ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME MATTERS.

(a) Termination of Oversight Responsibilities of Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.--

(1) Senior medical advisor.--Section 1513A of the Armed Forces Retirement Home Act of 1991 (24 U.S.C. 413a) is amended--

(A) in subsection (b), by striking "the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness," in the matter preceding paragraph (1); and

(B) in subsection (c)(4), by striking "the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness" and inserting "the Secretary of Defense".

(2) Ombudsmen.--Section 1517(e)(2) of such Act (24 U.S.C. 417(e)(2)) is amended by striking "the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness" and inserting "the Secretary of Defense".

(3) Inspections.--Section 1518 of such Act (24 U.S.C. 418) is amended--

(A) in subsection (c)(1), by striking "the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness,"; and

(B) in subsection (e)(1), by striking "the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness" and inserting "the Secretary of Defense".

(b) Advisory Council.--Section 1516 of such Act (24 U.S.C. 416) is amended--

(1) in subsection (c)(1), by striking "15 members," and all that follows and inserting "15 members."; and

(2) in subsection (f)(1), by striking "shall" and inserting "may".

(c) Administrators.--Section 1517(b) of such Act (24 U.S.C. 417(b)) is amended--

(1) in paragraph (2), by striking "and" at the end;

(2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting "; and"; and

(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

"(4) serve at the pleasure of the Secretary of Defense.".

SEC. 1414. AUTHORITY TO DISPOSE OF CERTAIN MATERIALS FROM AND TO ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR THE NATIONAL DEFENSE STOCKPILE.

(a) Disposal Authority.--Pursuant to section 5(b) of the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act (50 U.S.C. 98d(b)), the National Defense Stockpile Manager may dispose of not more than 25 short tons of materials transferred from another department or agency of the United States to the National Defense Stockpile under section 4(b) of such Act (50 U.S.C. 98c(b)) that the National Defense Stockpile Manager determines is no longer required from the stockpile.

(b) Acquisition Authority.--

(1) Authority.--Using funds available in the National Defense Stockpile Transaction Fund, the National Defense Stockpile Manager may acquire the following materials determined to be strategic and critical materials required to meet the defense, industrial, and essential civilian needs of the United States:

(A) Electrolytic manganese metal.

(B) Antimony.

(2) Amount of authority.--The National Defense Stockpile Manager may use up to $9,000,000 in the National Defense Stockpile Transaction Fund for acquisition of the materials specified in paragraph (1).

(3) Fiscal year limitation.--The authority under paragraph (1) is available for purchases during fiscal year 2018 through fiscal year 2027.

SEC. 1415. ACQUISITION REPORTING ON MAJOR CHEMICAL DEMILITARIZATION PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

(a) Reporting on Major Programs.--Acquisition reporting on each major program within the chemical demilitarization programs of the Department of Defense, including construction in connection with such program, shall--

(1) comply with reporting guidelines for an Acquisition Category 1 (ACAT 1) system; and

(2) be reported separately from acquisition reporting on the other major program within the chemical demilitarization programs of the Department of Defense.

(b) Major Program Within the Chemical Demilitarization Programs of the Department of Defense Defined.--In this section, the term "major program within the chemical demilitarization programs of the Department of Defense" means each program as follows:

(1) Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant program, Colorado.

(2) Blue Grass Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant program, Kentucky.

The full text of the report is found at: https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/115th-congress/house-report/404/1?r=12$H

TARGETED NEWS SERVICE: Myron Struck, editor; 703/304-1897; [email protected]; http://www.targetednews.com