Floor SpeechNeutral2026-06-17

Text of Senate Amendment 5850

EnvironmentDefense

Context

On 2026-06-17, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 5850" in the Senate.

Full Text

Text of Senate Amendment 5850

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S2908] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 5850. Mr. CRUZ 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, insert the following: SEC. __. LIMITATION AND REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO EXPEDITIONARY COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADES. (a) Limitation.--None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for any of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for the Army may be obligated or expended to retire, deactivate, schedule to deactivate, or proceed with any other action that would reduce the aircraft, capabilities, resources, or personnel available, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, for the Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigades unless the Secretary of the Army submits to the congressional defense committees-- (1) a certification that the Secretary of the Army plans to recapitalize any such aircraft for the Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigades and to otherwise restore any such capabilities, resources, or personnel levels reduced; and (2) the plan of the Secretary of the Army for the actions specified in paragraph (1). (b) Requirement to Restore.-- (1) Requirement.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, for any Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade that, prior to such date of enactment, the Secretary of the Army retired or deactivated (or carried out any other activity to reduce the aircraft, capabilities, resources, or personnel thereof), the Secretary of the Army shall reinstate or reactivate such brigade, or otherwise restore such brigade to the levels preceding such reduction, as the case may be. (2) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the implementation of this subsection. (c) Plan Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan to sustain and modernize the aircraft used by the Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigades. (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of the Army for the operation of aircraft, and training for such operation, by the Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigades $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2027. ______

View original source →

Text of Senate Amendment 5850 Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 102 (Wednesday, June 17, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S2908] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 5850. Mr. CRUZ 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, insert the following: SEC. __. LIMITATION AND REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO EXPEDITIONARY COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADES. (a) Limitation.--None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for any of fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for the Army may be obligated or expended to retire, deactivate, schedule to deactivate, or proceed with any other action that would reduce the aircraft, capabilities, resources, or personnel available, as of the date of the enactment of this Act, for the Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigades unless the Secretary of the Army submits to the congressional defense committees-- (1) a certification that the Secretary of the Army plans to recapitalize any such aircraft for the Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigades and to otherwise restore any such capabilities, resources, or personnel levels reduced; and (2) the plan of the Secretary of the Army for the actions specified in paragraph (1). (b) Requirement to Restore.-- (1) Requirement.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, for any Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade that, prior to such date of enactment, the Secretary of the Army retired or deactivated (or carried out any other activity to reduce the aircraft, capabilities, resources, or personnel thereof), the Secretary of the Army shall reinstate or reactivate such brigade, or otherwise restore such brigade to the levels preceding such reduction, as the case may be. (2) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the implementation of this subsection. (c) Plan Required.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Army shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan to sustain and modernize the aircraft used by the Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigades. (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of the Army for the operation of aircraft, and training for such operation, by the Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigades $35,000,000 for fiscal year 2027. ______