118th CONGRESS 1st Session |
To limit the availability of funds for the destruction of landmines.
July 25, 2023
Mr. Rounds (for himself and Mr. Manchin) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services
To limit the availability of funds for the destruction of landmines.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Combat Power Preservation Act of 2023”.
SEC. 2. Limitation on availability of funds for destruction of landmines.
(a) Limitation.—Except as provided in subsection (b), none of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2024 for the Department of Defense may be obligated or expended for the destruction of anti-personnel landmine munitions before the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits the report required by subsection (c).
(b) Exception for safety.—Subsection (a) shall not apply to any anti-personnel landmine munitions that the Secretary of Defense determines are unsafe or could pose a safety risk to the United States Armed Forces if not demilitarized or destroyed.
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes each of the following:
(A) A description of the policy of the Department of Defense regarding the use of anti-personnel landmines, including methods for commanders to seek waivers to use such munitions.
(B) Projections covering the period of 10 years following the date of the report of—
(i) the inventory levels for all anti-personnel landmine munitions, taking into account future production of anti-personnel landmine munitions, any plans for demilitarization of such munitions, the age of the munitions, storage and safety considerations, and any other factors that are expected to impact the size of the inventory;
(ii) the cost to achieve the inventory levels projected in clause (i), including the cost for potential demilitarization or disposal of such munitions; and
(iii) the cost to develop and produce new anti-personnel landmine munitions the Secretary determines are necessary to meet the demands of operational plans.
(C) An assessment by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the effects of the inventory levels projected under subparagraph (B)(i) on operational plans.
(D) Any inputs by the Chairman and the commanders of the combatant commands to a policy process that resulted in a change in landmine policy during the calendar year preceding the date of the enactment of this Act.
(E) Any other matters that the Secretary determines appropriate for inclusion in the report.
(2) FORM OF REPORT.—The report required by paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall provide to the congressional defense committees a briefing on the status, as of the date of the briefing, of research and development into operational alternatives to anti-personnel landmine munitions.
(2) FORM OF BRIEFING.—The briefing required by paragraph (1) may contain classified information.
(e) Anti-Personnel landmine munitions defined.—In this section, the term “anti-personnel landmine munitions” includes anti-personnel landmines and submunitions, as defined by the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, concluded at Oslo September 18, 1997, as determined by the Secretary.