S.Amdt. 2599

SA 2599. Ms. MURKOWSKI submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
to amendment SA 2282 submitted by Mr. Inhofe (for himself and Mr.
McCain) and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 5515, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2019 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 A of title XI, add the following:

SEC. 1107. REPORT ON CURRENT AND ANTICIPATED VACANCIES IN
CIVILIAN POSITIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
IN ALASKA.

(a) Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense
shall, in consultation with the Secretary of the Army and the
Secretary of the Air Force, submit to the Committees on Armed
Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a
report on current and anticipated vacancies in civilian
positions of the Department of Defense in Alaska.
(b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall
include the following:
(1) A description of current vacancies in civilian
positions of the Department in Alaska, and an assessment of
currently anticipated vacancies in such positions.
(2) An assessment of the current and anticipated timeliness
and efficiency of the Department in filling vacancies in
civilian positions of the Department in Alaska, including
with respect to the following:
(A) Positions in connection with new missions in Alaska.
(B) Positions within components of the Defense Health
Agency.
(3) A description of the authorities, if any, available to
the Department to accelerate the recruitment, assessment, and
employment of candidates in civilian positions of the
Department in Alaska, including so-called ``direct hire
authority''.
(4) A description and assessment of any impediments to the
timely and efficient filling of vacancies in civilian
positions of the Department in Alaska.
(5) Such recommendations as the Secretary of Defense
considers appropriate for legislative or administrative
action to improve the timely and efficient filling of
vacancies in civilian positions of the Department in Alaska,
including an expansion of so-called ``direct hire authority''
for that purpose.
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