S. 3135Senate117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

A bill to ensure the maintenance of critical supply lines within the defense industrial base.

Introduced November 2, 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 7:46 AM UTC

The bill aims to strengthen the defense industrial base by improving the maintenance of critical supply lines. It adds unmanned aerial systems to the list of high‑priority goods and services for analysis, creates a new requirement for a strategy that supports domestic manufacturing and industrial‑base capabilities, and orders the Comptroller General to brief and report to Congress on the Department of Defense’s industrial‑base policies and supply‑chain efforts.

Key Provisions

  • Adds “unmanned aerial systems” to the high‑priority goods and services list for sourcing and industrial‑capacity analysis.
  • Adds a new subparagraph requiring a strategy to support domestic manufacturing and industrial‑base capabilities for future defense needs.
  • Mandates that the Comptroller General brief the Senate and House Armed Services Committees within 270 days and submit a detailed report on the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, supply‑chain assessments, protection procedures, and related matters.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text: CR S7604-7605)

November 2, 2021

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

November 2, 2021

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. (text: CR S7604-7605)

November 2, 2021

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about S. 3135 on the floor

1 Republican1 Democrat
John Cornyn
Sen. John CornynR-TX · Nov 2, 2021

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have my bill printed in the Record. The bill ensures the maintenance of critical supply lines within the defense industrial base.

John Cornyn
Sen. John CornynR-TX · Nov 2, 2021

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have my bill printed in the Record. The bill ensures the maintenance of critical supply lines within the defense industrial base.

Richard J. Durbin
Sen. Richard J. DurbinD-IL · Nov 2, 2021

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Introduced in SenateIssued November 2, 2021

II

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 3135

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 2, 2021

Mr. Cornyn (for himself and Ms. Hassan) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

A BILL

To ensure the maintenance of critical supply lines within the defense industrial base.

1.

Maintenance of critical supply lines

(a)

Addition of certain items to list of high-Priority goods and services for analyses, recommendations, and actions related to sourcing and industrial capacity

Section 849(c) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(14)

Unmanned aerial systems.

.

(b)

Designation of critical technology areas

Section 217(b)(2) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (A), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon;

(2)

in subparagraph (B), by striking the semicolon and inserting ; and; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(C)

a strategy to support domestic manufacturing and industrial base capabilities to support future defense requirements;

.

(c)

Comptroller General report on Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy

(1)

Briefing and report

Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall brief the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives on the Comptroller General's preliminary findings related to the topics set forth in paragraph (2). The Comptroller General shall submit to such committees a report with a final description and assessment of such topics at an agreed upon date.

(2)

Topics covered

The topics referred to under paragraph (1) are as follows:

(A)

The strategy, effectiveness, and responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy.

(B)

The efforts of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment to assess the manufacturing and procurement of critical materials, including describing the offices and individuals that are responsible for identifying critical materials supply chain shortfalls, how such shortfalls are identified, and any variation in methods used across the Department of Defense.

(C)

The efforts of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment to implement procedures to protect supply chains for critical programs and technologies and disseminate that information to other appropriate Federal agencies and organizations.

(D)

Such other matters as the Comptroller General determines appropriate.