House approves 20 en bloc amendments to defense reauthorization, including satellite language

A full description of the amendment appears at the end of this list of amendments approved so far:

• Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.), makes conforming changes in the original bill. Accepted by voice vote.

The following were approved en bloc by voice vote:

• Rep. Jeff Landry (R-La.), specifies that the use of information collected via unmanned aerial vehicles by the U.S. Department of Defense may not be used as evidence in a court of law against an individual unless it is collected pursuant to a court order.

• Rep. Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.), requires the secretary of Defense, within 180 days of enactment, to report to Congress on Air Force cyber operations research, science, and technology plans and capabilities.

• Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), strikes a paragraph from the Committee-Reported bill within Section 322 dealing with the treatment of modification work completed at military industrial depots by the DoD when determining which workloads are core or government-retained.

• Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.), creates Military Readiness Areas in parts of coastal California to allow the U.S. Navy to continue exercises and testing while allowing for the expansion of the southern sea otter populations. The amendment would also require U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to coordinate with the Navy when planning for the recovery and expansion of sea otters, while also protecting any other endangered species in these areas.

• Rep. Nan Hayworth (R-N.Y.), expresses the Sense of Congress that the Department of Defense should not convert the performance of any function from performance by a contractor to performance by Department of Defense civilian employee unless the function is inherently governmental in nature.

• Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), states that Military Sexual Trauma (MST) continues to be a significant problem within the Department of Defense and many victims of MST suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The amendment would also state that the secretary of Veterans Affairs should review the disability claims process to ensure that victims of military sexual trauma who file claims for service connection do not face unnecessary or overly burdensome requirements in order to claim disability benefits with the Department.

• Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.), states that that the remains of crewmen from the George 1 seaplane should be recovered from Thurston Island, Antarctica, where it crashed in 1947.

• Petri, authorizes the secretary of Defense to compensate certain military personnel who were prevented from using leave time in connection with the Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence program due to administrative error.

• Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), authorizes a pilot program on enhancements of Department of Defense efforts on mental health in the National Guard and Reserves through public-private partnerships.

• Rep. Bill Posey (R-Fla.), authorizes the secretary of Defense to work with non-federal entities and accept non-federal funding under strict implementation guidelines to promote efficiencies of the space transportation infrastructure of the Department of Defense in commercial space activities.

• Bishop, honors the service of Air Raid Wardens and all other Americans who volunteered for service for the United States Office of Civilian Defense during World War II.

• Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), prohibits the authorization of DOD funds for tear gas and other riot control items to Middle East and North African countries undergoing democratic transition unless the secretary of Defense certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the security forces of such countries are not using excessive force to repress peaceful, lawful and organized dissent.

• Rep. Michael Turner (R-Ohio), clarifies that ensuring “adequate protection” is the applicable nuclear safety standard for defense nuclear facilities; that nuclear safety policies, regulations, analysis, and recommendations should be risk-based; and that nothing in these sections shall be construed to require a reduction in nuclear safety standards.

• Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), requires the secretary to submit an annual report of on the hazing incidents involving members of the Armed Forces during the preceding year. The report would include data on the number of alleged and substantiated hazing incidents within each Armed Force that occurred that year, including the race, gender and Armed Force of the victim and offender, the nature of the hazing, and actions taken to resolve and address the hazing. The amendment would also require the Comptroller General to study the prevalence of hazing and current policies in place regarding hazing in the Armed Forces and make recommendations to prevent hazing incidents.

• Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), directs the secretary of Defense to conduct an educational campaign regarding the Board of Correction for Military Records as an avenue for relief in cases where a current or former member of the Armed Forces has experienced retaliatory personnel actions for making a report of sexual assault or sexual harassment.

• Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), requires the DOD conduct an assessment of the health and status of various national defense infrared technology sectors, including technology such as focal plane arrays sensitive to infrared wavelengths, read-out integrate circuits, cryogenic coolers, Dewar technology, infrared sensor engine assemblies, and infrared imaging systems. The amendment would require that the secretary of the DOD submit a report to Congress on the findings.

• Rep. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), gives manufacturers the opportunity to provide information to DOD regarding how their bid for a contract will affect domestic employment. The amendment would allow DOD to take the Jobs Impact Statement into consideration, but does not mandate that DOD consider this information, when awarding the contract.

• Larsen, requires reports on the costs of maintaining and modernizing the nuclear deterrent.

• Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), requires the secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service and the Director of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, post on the public website of the DOD the costs, including the relevant legacy costs, to each American taxpayer of each of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

• Smith (D-Wash.), authorizes the president to remove commercial satellites and related components from the United States munitions list if the president submits to Congress a determination that the transfer of commercial satellites and related components and technology does not pose an unacceptable risk to the national security.

— This story was updated at 6:20 p.m. to change the description of the first Rep. Rob Bishop amendment.