S.Amdt. 580

SA 580. Mr. KAINE (for himself and Mr. Cramer) submitted an amendment
intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2226, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2024 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 G of title XII, add the following:

SEC. 1299L. VIRGINIA CLASS SUBMARINE TRANSFER CERTIFICATION.

(a) Certification Required.--
(1) In general.--Not less than 60 days prior to
transferring one or more Virginia class submarines from the
inventory of the United States Navy to the Government of
Australia, under section 21 of the Arms Export Control Act
(22 U.S.C. 2761), the President shall certify to the
appropriate congressional committees that--
(A) any submarine transferred under such authority shall be
used to support the joint security interests and military
operations of the United States and Australia;
(B) Submarine Rotational Forces-West Full Operational
Capability to support 4 rotationally deployed Virginia-class
submarines and one Astute-class submarine has been achieved,
including the Government of Australia having demonstrated the
domestic capacity to fully perform all the associated
activities necessary for the safe hosting and operation of
nuclear-powered submarines; and
(C) Australia Sovereign-Ready Initial Operational
Capability to support a Royal Australian Navy Virginia-class
submarine has been achieved, including the Government of
Australia having demonstrated the domestic capacity to fully
perform all the associated--
(i) activities necessary for the safe hosting and operation
of nuclear-powered submarines;
(ii) crewing;
(iii) operations;
(iv) regulatory and emergency procedures, including those
specific to nuclear power plants; and
(v) detailed planning for enduring Virginia-class submarine
ownership, including each significant event leading up to and
including nuclear defueling.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Activities necessary for the safe hosting or operation
of nuclear-powered submarines.--The term ``activities
necessary for the safe hosting and operation of nuclear-
powered submarines'' means each of the following activities
as it relates to Virginia-class and Astute-class submarines,
as appropriate, and in accordance with applicable United
States Navy or other Government agency instructions,
regulations, and standards:
(A) Maintenance.
(B) Training.
(C) Technical oversight.
(D) Safety certifications.
(E) Physical, communications, operational, cyber, and other
security measures.
(F) Port operations and infrastructure support.
(G) Storage, including spare parts, repair parts, and
munitions.
(H) Hazardous material handling and storage.
(I) Information technology systems.
(J) Support functions, including those related to medical,
quality-of-life, and family needs.
(K) Such other related tasks as may be specified by the
Secretary of Defense.
(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on
Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on
Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives.
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