Floor SpeechNeutral2026-06-17

Text of Senate Amendment 5849

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Context

On 2026-06-17, Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 5849" in the Senate.

Full Text

Text of Senate Amendment 5849

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S2907-S2908] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 5849. Mr. KIM submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for [[Page S2908]] military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place, insert the following: SEC. ___. ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEFENSE DIGITAL ENGINEERING CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR MODEL-BASED ACQUISITION, SECURE DATA TRANSFER, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. (a) Establishment.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and in coordination with the Secretary of the Navy, establish a center of excellence at an accredited institution of higher education located within an established defense innovation corridor that maintains-- (A) active defense research programs across not fewer than two military departments; (B) an operational digital engineering hub or equivalent facility; (C) a planned or existing facility of not less than 200,000 gross square feet with the capability to achieve sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) accreditation; and (D) demonstrated capability in model-based systems engineering, additive manufacturing for defense applications, and cybersecurity. (2) Designation.--The center of exellence established under paragraph (1) shall be known as the ``Defense Digital Engineering Center of Excellence'' (in this section the ``Center''). (b) Mission.--The Center shall serve as a nationally designated hub for the following three interconnected defense digital engineering pillars: (1) Secure data transfer and digital engineering demilitarized zone (dmz).--(A) The Center shall establish and maintain an accredited secure data transfer capability to serve as a trusted intermediary for the exchange of model- based digital engineering artifacts between military laboratories, shipyards, operational platforms, government agencies, and industry partners. (B) Such capability shall support both large-scale digital engineering programs, including programs of record, and smaller-scale initiatives such as additive manufacturing digital thread applications for equipment obsolescence management. (C) The Center shall develop and maintain interoperability standards for digital artifact exchange that are compatible with existing and emerging Department of Defense data architectures. (2) Model-based acquisition pilot program.--(A) The Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Center, shall establish a pilot program to develop and test model-based technical data packages for not fewer than one naval acquisition program of record. (B) The pilot program shall demonstrate a continuous digital thread from requirements development through design, construction, and sustainment, with the objective of eliminating duplicative data recreation by government and industry stakeholders. (C) The Center shall develop reference architectures, data exchange standards, and interoperability protocols for model- based Technical Data Packages in coordination with the Naval Sea Systems Command, relevant Program Executive Offices, and industry partners. (D) Not later than two years after the establishment of the pilot program, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report evaluating the cost savings, schedule improvements, and technical quality improvements achieved relative to static, document-centric acquisition processes. (3) Tip of a spear training (toast) workforce development program.--(A) The Center shall develop and deliver role- specific digital engineering training programs, to be known as ``Tip of a Spear Training'' or ``TOAST'' programs, for Department of Defense and Department of the Navy leadership and management personnel. (B) TOAST programs shall be designed at not fewer than three proficiency levels-- (i) executive level, for flag and general officers, Senior Executive Service personnel, and program executive officers; (ii) program management level, for program managers, ship design managers, and design integration managers; and (iii) working level, for systems engineers, requirements management personnel, and technical warrant holders. (C) The Center may award certificates of completion and shall coordinate with the Defense Acquisition University to ensure TOAST programs satisfy continuing education and certification requirements under chapter 87 of title 10, United States Code. (D) Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Center shall enroll not fewer than 50 Department of Defense personnel in TOAST programs, with a target of 200 personnel per year by the third year of operation. (c) Coordination.--The Center shall coordinate with-- (1) the Naval Sea Systems Command, Program Executive Offices, and relevant systems commands; (2) the Office of the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense; (3) the Defense Acquisition University; (4) the Defense Innovation Unit; (5) relevant Federally funded research and development centers; and (6) private sector industry partners, including shipbuilders, defense contractors, and technology firms. (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense to carry out this section, $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2027, of which-- (1) not more than $10,000,000 shall be for the establishment and initial accreditation of the Secure Data Transfer and Digital Engineering DMZ capability under subsection (c)(1); (2) not more than $10,000,000 shall be for the Model-Based Acquisition Pilot Program under subsection (c)(2); and (3) not more than $5,000,000 shall be for the development and initial delivery of TOAST workforce development programs under subsection (c)(3). (e) Annual Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5 years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the activities, outcomes, and expenditures of the Center, including an assessment of the feasibility and advisability of designating additional institutions of higher education as affiliated nodes in a national defense digital engineering network. ______

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Text of Senate Amendment 5849 Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S2907-S2908] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 5849. Mr. KIM submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for [[Page S2908]] military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place, insert the following: SEC. ___. ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEFENSE DIGITAL ENGINEERING CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR MODEL-BASED ACQUISITION, SECURE DATA TRANSFER, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. (a) Establishment.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and in coordination with the Secretary of the Navy, establish a center of excellence at an accredited institution of higher education located within an established defense innovation corridor that maintains-- (A) active defense research programs across not fewer than two military departments; (B) an operational digital engineering hub or equivalent facility; (C) a planned or existing facility of not less than 200,000 gross square feet with the capability to achieve sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) accreditation; and (D) demonstrated capability in model-based systems engineering, additive manufacturing for defense applications, and cybersecurity. (2) Designation.--The center of exellence established under paragraph (1) shall be known as the ``Defense Digital Engineering Center of Excellence'' (in this section the ``Center''). (b) Mission.--The Center shall serve as a nationally designated hub for the following three interconnected defense digital engineering pillars: (1) Secure data transfer and digital engineering demilitarized zone (dmz).--(A) The Center shall establish and maintain an accredited secure data transfer capability to serve as a trusted intermediary for the exchange of model- based digital engineering artifacts between military laboratories, shipyards, operational platforms, government agencies, and industry partners. (B) Such capability shall support both large-scale digital engineering programs, including programs of record, and smaller-scale initiatives such as additive manufacturing digital thread applications for equipment obsolescence management. (C) The Center shall develop and maintain interoperability standards for digital artifact exchange that are compatible with existing and emerging Department of Defense data architectures. (2) Model-based acquisition pilot program.--(A) The Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Center, shall establish a pilot program to develop and test model-based technical data packages for not fewer than one naval acquisition program of record. (B) The pilot program shall demonstrate a continuous digital thread from requirements development through design, construction, and sustainment, with the objective of eliminating duplicative data recreation by government and industry stakeholders. (C) The Center shall develop reference architectures, data exchange standards, and interoperability protocols for model- based Technical Data Packages in coordination with the Naval Sea Systems Command, relevant Program Executive Offices, and industry partners. (D) Not later than two years after the establishment of the pilot program, the Secretary of the Navy shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report evaluating the cost savings, schedule improvements, and technical quality improvements achieved relative to static, document-centric acquisition processes. (3) Tip of a spear training (toast) workforce development program.--(A) The Center shall develop and deliver role- specific digital engineering training programs, to be known as ``Tip of a Spear Training'' or ``TOAST'' programs, for Department of Defense and Department of the Navy leadership and management personnel. (B) TOAST programs shall be designed at not fewer than three proficiency levels-- (i) executive level, for flag and general officers, Senior Executive Service personnel, and program executive officers; (ii) program management level, for program managers, ship design managers, and design integration managers; and (iii) working level, for systems engineers, requirements management personnel, and technical warrant holders. (C) The Center may award certificates of completion and shall coordinate with the Defense Acquisition University to ensure TOAST programs satisfy continuing education and certification requirements under chapter 87 of title 10, United States Code. (D) Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Center shall enroll not fewer than 50 Department of Defense personnel in TOAST programs, with a target of 200 personnel per year by the third year of operation. (c) Coordination.--The Center shall coordinate with-- (1) the Naval Sea Systems Command, Program Executive Offices, and relevant systems commands; (2) the Office of the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense; (3) the Defense Acquisition University; (4) the Defense Innovation Unit; (5) relevant Federally funded research and development centers; and (6) private sector industry partners, including shipbuilders, defense contractors, and technology firms. (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Defense to carry out this section, $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2027, of which-- (1) not more than $10,000,000 shall be for the establishment and initial accreditation of the Secure Data Transfer and Digital Engineering DMZ capability under subsection (c)(1); (2) not more than $10,000,000 shall be for the Model-Based Acquisition Pilot Program under subsection (c)(2); and (3) not more than $5,000,000 shall be for the development and initial delivery of TOAST workforce development programs under subsection (c)(3). (e) Annual Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5 years, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the activities, outcomes, and expenditures of the Center, including an assessment of the feasibility and advisability of designating additional institutions of higher education as affiliated nodes in a national defense digital engineering network. ______