S.Amdt. 657

SA 657. Mr. HICKENLOOPER (for himself and Mr. Tillis) 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 X, add the following:

SEC. 1083. REPORT ON ALIEN ESSENTIAL SCIENTISTS AND TECHNICAL
EXPERTS NECESSARY FOR THE DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL
BASE.

(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall
submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and
the House of Representatives a report on the alien (as
defined in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality
Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a))) essential scientists and technical
experts currently advancing the research, development,
testing, manufacturing, or evaluation of critical
technologies, or otherwise serving national security
functions for the defense industrial base.
(b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall
include the following:

[[Page S2750]]

(1) A detailed assessment of aliens currently living in the
United States whose professional contributions are essential
to advancing the research, development, testing,
manufacturing, or evaluation of critical technologies, or
otherwise serving national security interests, which shall
include a consideration of the following categories of
aliens:
(A) Aliens who are employed by a United States employer and
engaged in work to promote and protect the national security
innovation base.
(B) Aliens who are engaged in basic or applied research,
funded by the Department of Defense, through a United States
institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)).
(C) Aliens who possess scientific or technical expertise
that will advance the development of critical technologies
identified in the National Defense Strategy or the National
Defense Science and Technology Strategy, required by section
218 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115-232; 132 Stat. 1679).
(2) An assessment of science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM) occupations relevant to national security
in which the Secretary of Defense anticipates workforce
shortages, including and identification of--
(A) the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
occupation profiles relevant to national security for which
the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Labor
anticipate workforce shortages; and
(B) current barriers that limit the ability of aliens with
relevant expertise to fill such occupations.
(3) Recommendations for improving the strategies and
initiatives of the Department of Defense for recruiting and
retaining skilled alien labor in STEM fields critical to the
Department's research, development, testing, evaluation, and
acquisition of capabilities to support the national defense,
including--
(A) the Department's use of visas for nonimmigrants
described in subparagraph (H)(i)(b)(ii) of section 101(a)(15)
of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(15)), including information about the particular
cooperative research and development projects and co-
production projects for which Department project managers
have submitted verification letters in connection with such
visas;
(B) the Department's use of immigrant visas and
nonimmigrant visas other than the visas described in
subparagraph (A), and naturalization, to supplement the
national security innovation base;
(C) an assessment of other existing mechanisms through
which the Department could supplement the national security
innovation base, including immigrant and nonimmigrant visas
not described in subparagraphs (A) and (B); and
(D) proposed mechanisms to facilitate additional programs
to attract talent.
(4) An assessment of the role of international talent in
the national security industrial and innovation base.
(5) An identification of--
(A) current gaps or shortfalls in the workforce of
scientists and technical experts currently advancing the
research, development, testing, manufacturing, or evaluation
of critical technologies, or otherwise serving national
security functions for the defense industrial base; and
(B) mechanisms the Department of Defense may consider to
address such gaps or shortfalls.
(c) Form.--The report required by subsection (a) shall be
submitted in classified form and may include an unclassified
annex.
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