Text of Senate Amendment 6296

On 2026-06-24, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) delivered a floor speech titled "Text Of Senate Amendment 6296" in the Senate.

Text of Senate Amendment 6296

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S3437] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SA 6296. Mr. VAN HOLLEN 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 end of subtitle D of title XXVIII, add the following: SEC. 2873. MILITARY INSTALLATION STORMWATER PROJECT ACCELERATION PROGRAM. Subchapter I of chapter 169 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 2815a the following new section: ``Sec. 2815b. Military Installation Stormwater Project Acceleration Program ``(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Office of the Secretary of Defense a program to be known as the `Military Installation Stormwater Project Acceleration Program' (in this section referred to as the `Program'). ``(b) Purpose.--The Program shall be conducted for the purpose of accelerating the planning for and implementation of projects and other actions on or related to a military installation that are-- ``(1) addressed in the military installation component of installation master plans developed in accordance with section 2864(c) of this title; ``(2) identified as potential military installation projects under section 2815 of this title; ``(3) identified for the improvement of stormwater management in accordance with section 2815a of this title; or ``(4) identified as suitable to preserve or enhance Defense Access Roads in accordance with section 210 of title 23. ``(c) Identification of Projects and Other Actions.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish a merit-based process for identifying projects and other actions suitable for funding through the Program. ``(d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to require or enable any official of the Department of Defense to provide funding under this section pursuant to a community project funding request, as defined in the Rules of the House of Representatives, or a congressionally directed spending item, as defined in the Standing Rules of the Senate. ``(e) Annual Reports.--(1) Not later than March 1 of each year, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report on the Program. ``(2) Each report under paragraph (1) shall include the following: ``(A) A description of the nature and status of the projects or actions undertaken in whole or part with funds appropriated for the Program. ``(B) An assessment of the effectiveness of such projects or actions as part of a long-term strategy-- ``(i) to prevent flooding on military installations, key supporting civilian infrastructure, and defense access roads; and ``(ii) to improve the management of stormwater on or related to a military installation. ``(C) An evaluation of the methodology and criteria used to select and to establish priorities for projects and actions funded in whole or part with funds appropriated for the Program. ``(D) Such recommendations as the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate for legislative or administrative action to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Program.''. ______