AIRCRAFT CARRIER FORCE STRUCTURE.

SEC. 1011. AIRCRAFT CARRIER FORCE STRUCTURE.(a) Reduction in Minimum Number of Operational Aircraft Carriers Required by Law.—Section 5062(b) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking “12” and inserting “11”.(b) Required Certification Before Retirement of U.S.S. John F. Kennedy.—The Secretary of the Navy may not retire the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CV–67) from operational status unless the Secretary of Defense first submits to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives the Secretary’s certification that the Secretary has received—(1) a formal notice from the Secretary of Homeland Security that the Department of Homeland Security does not desire to maintain and operate that vessel; and(2) a formal notice from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization does not desire to maintain and operate that vessel.(c) Conditions on Status of U.S.S. John F. Kennedy if Retired.—Upon the retirement from operational status of the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CV–67), the Secretary of the Navy—(1) while the vessel is in the custody and control of the Navy, shall maintain that vessel in a state of preservation (including configuration control, dehumidification, cathodic protection, and maintenance of spares) that would allow for reactivation of that vessel in the event that the vessel was needed in response to a national emergency; and(2) if the vessel is transferred from the custody and control of the Navy, shall require as a condition of such transfer that—(A) if the President declares a national emergency pursuant to the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), the transferee shall, upon request of the Secretary of Defense, return the vessel to the United States; and(B) in such a case (unless the transferee is otherwise notified by the Secretary), title to the vessel shall revert immediately to the United States.