Text of Senate Amendment 5997

On 2026-06-23, Senator John W. Hickenlooper (D-CO) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 5997" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 5997

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 23, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S3123] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 5997. Mr. HICKENLOOPER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place in title XVI, insert the following: SEC. ___. PILOT PROGRAM ON SUPPLY CHAIN VISIBILITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIC SEMICONDUCTOR STOCKPILE. (a) Establishment of Pilot Program.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of improving supply chain visibility and developing a strategic semiconductor stockpile. (2) Duration.--The Secretary shall complete the pilot program required by paragraph (1) not later than one year after the date on which the Secretary commences the pilot program under such paragraph. (b) Identification and Stockpiling.-- (1) Identification of requirements.--Under the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall identify the stockpiling requirements for microelectronic and semiconductor components required for the production of critical defense systems. (2) Stockpiling.--The Secretary shall identify critical defense systems that require uninterrupted production during crisis, ensure visibility of the supply chain, and stockpile microelectronic and semiconductor components of a sufficient quantity and a sufficient quality to meet the needs of the Department of Defense during periods of international conflict or other crisis causing disruption to the supply chains for such microelectronic and semiconductor components in which the availability of such microelectronic and semiconductor components through normal supply chains is reduced. (3) Management of stockpile.--The stockpile under paragraph (2) shall be managed to ensure continued supply as availability of components changes. (c) Contracts With Private Entities.-- (1) In general.--In carrying out the pilot program required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall seek to enter into a contract with at least one eligible entity under which such entity shall assess the stockpiling requirements for microelectronic and semiconductor components under the pilot program. (2) Eligible entity defined.--In this subsection, the term ``eligible entity'' means a private entity that-- (A) has a demonstrated history of-- (i) working with the Department of Defense; and (ii) complying with the regulations of the Department; (B) maintains a positive past performance history with multiple contracting entities, including civilian entities and military agencies; (C) maintains facility security clearances commensurate with the appropriate level of classified access required to support the most sensitive efforts of managing, maintaining, and replenishing the stockpile of microelectronic and semiconductor components, and sufficient staff in the continental United States to support such efforts; (D) has completed third party assessments, which verify that the entity-- (i) is compliant with the requirements published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Special Publication 800-171 (relating to Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Systems and Organizations); and (ii) reports the status of such entity in the Supplier Performance Risk System of the Department of Defense; and (E) maintains compliance with the standards for distributors of electronic and semiconductor components set forth in-- (i) the General Requirements for Authorized Distributors of Commercial and Military Semiconductor Devices, adopted August 2021 (JESD 31); (ii) ``Fraudulent/Counterfeit Electronic Parts: Avoidance, Detection, Mitigation, and Disposition--Authorized/Franchise Distribution'' adopted August 2014 (AS6496); (iii) ``Counterfeit Electronic Parts; Avoidance, Detection, Mitigation, and Disposition'' issued April 2009 (AS5553); and (iv) ``Quality Management Systems Requirements'' adopted September 2015 (ISO 9001:2015). (d) Report and Briefing.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which the pilot program is established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes-- (A) a description of the implementation of the pilot program; and (B) an assessment of the viability of scaling up the pilot program, including-- (i) an evaluation of the benefits and mission priorities of developing a stockpile of microelectronics and semiconductor components; and (ii) a description of any additional resources needed to scale up the program. (2) Briefing.--The Secretary shall provide the congressional defense committees a briefing on the report submitted under paragraph (1). ______