H.R. 6292House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

To direct the Department of Defense to report to Congress on the potential integration of advanced propulsion systems into F-35 aircraft, and for other purposes.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 8:36 AM UTC

The bill requires the Department of Defense to report to Congress on how advanced propulsion systems could be added to F‑35 aircraft. It mandates the Air Force and Navy each submit a report within 90 days that outlines acquisition strategies, implementation plans, and cost and performance analyses for the F‑35A, F‑35B, and F‑35C. The aim is to evaluate retrofitting these jets with adaptive or advanced engines to boost performance and reduce reliance on support assets.

Key Provisions

The Secretary of the Air Force must, within 90 days, deliver a report to congressional defense committees detailing a competitive acquisition strategy, implementation plan, and schedule to integrate the Adaptive Engine Transition Program engine into the F‑35A and begin retrofitting all F‑35A aircraft by fiscal year 2027.
The Secretary of the Navy must, within 90 days, provide a report analyzing how an advanced propulsion system would affect combat effectiveness, sustainment costs, thrust, fuel efficiency, range, and overall mission performance for the F‑35B and F‑35C.
The Navy report must also include a fiscally informed acquisition strategy to produce and retrofit all F‑35B and F‑35C aircraft with the advanced propulsion system, with activities starting no later than fiscal year 2027.
The term “advanced propulsion system” is defined as a derivative of the propulsion system developed under the Adaptive Engine Transition Program or any previously developed F‑35 propulsion system.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

December 14, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

December 14, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.

Armed Services Committee

December 14, 2021

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 6292 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeD-TX-18 · Apr 27, 2022

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6445--the Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act of 2022, which reauthorizes the Small Business Development Center Program through FY2025 and amends the Small Business Act to require an annual report on entrepreneurial development programs.

H.R. 6445 will authorize the appropriation of $175 million for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2025 for the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program. The program awards grants to centers that counsel and train current and prospective small-business owners.

The Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act would help strengthen the SBDC network and allow the center to do more to build awareness of their programs and services.

More specifically, H.R. 6445 will prohibit entities other than institutions of higher education from receiving new grants under the program; allow centers to collect fees related to private partnerships or co-sponsorships; authorize centers to market their services directly to small businesses; and modify or establish provisions related to program funding, operations, data collection, and reporting.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's Business Dynamics Statistics, about 97 percent of businesses in the greater Houston area are considered small businesses.

Companies that employ less than 500 people collectively employ 44 percent of Houston's workforce, or 1.2 million people.

Eighty-two percent of businesses operating in the Houston area have fewer than 20 employees. Together, these businesses employ just under 400,000 workers, or about 14 percent of the regional workforce.

According to a study done by Self Financial, a personal finance service, there are nearly 170,000 minority-owned startups in the U.S., employing over 700,000 people and generating close to $100 billion in annual revenue.

The study states that Houston ranks fifth in the Nation for minority entrepreneurship.

Nearly 35 percent of Houston-area small businesses employing 50 or fewer people are minority-owned.

And based on demographic trends, these numbers are likely to grow as the population continues to diversify on racial and ethnic lines.

As a senior Member of the House Committees on Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget, I have and continue to advocate and fight for funding for the self-employed, independent contractors, sole proprietors, and small businesses.

In the early stages of the pandemic, I introduced H.R. 6292, the COVID-19 Small Business Recovery Grants Act, to help struggling farmers, ranchers, and small businesses that suffered an economic loss due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Specifically, this legislation would have established a $1 billion fund to provide direct relief to eligible parties who were experiencing financial losses due to the coronavirus.

The bill supported the American people by preserving the economic viability of small businesses that have been devastated by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Entrepreneurship is the backbone of American commerce, especially small businesses that are significant drivers of economic growth and job creation in the U.S.

Small businesses provide opportunities for entrepreneurs, jobs for neighbors and gathering places for communities. They're rooted in the landscape where they grow, and foster local economies, keeping money close to home.

Small Business Development Centers are an essential resource for small business owners, especially those who have been historically disadvantaged. SBDC's provide them with business advising, access to training, tools, and resources to help small businesses start, grow, expand, and succeed.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6445 the Small Business Development Centers Improvement Act because we must support our country's small businesses to ensure that our economy is prosperous.

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued December 14, 2021

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 6292

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 14, 2021

Mr. Wenstrup (for himself and Mr. Turner) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To direct the Department of Defense to report to Congress on the potential integration of advanced propulsion systems into F–35 aircraft, and for other purposes.

Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)

Fighter propulsion is one of the few areas in which the United States maintains a clear advantage over near-peer adversaries, specifically China and its threat to the Indo-Pacific region.

(2)

The F–35 will be one of the key elements of the frontline fighter forces of the military services and United States allies and partners for decades to come.

(3)

Failure to develop an adaptive cycle engine and make it available for production on the F–35 would constitute a missed opportunity and open a door for United States adversaries to overtake fielded engine technology.

(4)

Maintaining a strong industrial base and competition is critical to supporting the National Defense Strategy.

Adaptive engine transition program acquisition strategy for the F–35A aircraft

(a)

In general

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the integration of the Adaptive Engine Transition Program propulsion system into the F–35A aircraft.

(b)

Elements

The report required under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1)

A competitive acquisition strategy, informed by fiscal considerations, to—

(A)

integrate the Adaptive Engine Transition Program propulsion system into the F–35A aircraft; and

(B)

begin, in fiscal year 2027, activities to retrofit all F–35A aircraft with such propulsion system.

(2)

An implementation plan to implement such strategy.

(3)

A schedule annotating pertinent milestones and yearly fiscal resource requirements for the implementation of such strategy.

Advanced propulsion system acquisition strategy for the F–35B and F–35C aircraft

(a)

In general

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the integration of an advanced propulsion system into F–35B and F–35C aircraft.

(b)

Elements

The report required under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1)

An analysis of the effects of an advanced propulsion system on the combat effectiveness and sustainment costs of F–35B and F–35C aircraft, including any effects resulting from—

(A)

increased thrust, fuel efficiency, thermal capacity, and electrical generation; and

(B)

improvements in acceleration, speed, range, and overall mission effectiveness.

(2)

An assessment of how the integration of an advanced propulsion system may result in—

(A)

a reduction in dependency on support assets, including air refueling and replenishment tankers; and

(B)

an overall cost benefit to the Department from reduced acquisition and sustainment for such support assets.

(3)

A competitive acquisition strategy informed by fiscal considerations, the assessment of combat effectiveness under paragraph (1), and consideration of technical limitations—

(A)

to integrate an advanced propulsion system into F–35B aircraft and F–35C aircraft;

(B)

to begin, not later than fiscal year 2027, activities to produce all F–35B aircraft and all F–35C aircraft with such propulsion systems; and

(C)

to begin, not later than fiscal year 2027, activities to retrofit all F–35B aircraft and all F–35C aircraft with such propulsion systems.

(c)

Advanced propulsion system defined

In this section, term advanced propulsion system means—

(1)

a derivative of the propulsion system developed for the F–35 aircraft under the Adaptive Engine Transition Program of the Air Force; or

(2)

a derivative of a propulsion system previously developed for the F–35 aircraft.