MATTERS PERTAINING TO HYPERSONIC CAPABILITIES AND TESTING STRATEGIES.

SEC. 218. MATTERS PERTAINING TO HYPERSONIC CAPABILITIES AND TESTING STRATEGIES. (a) Biennial Updates to Hypersonics Testing Strategy.—Section 237(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263; 136 Stat. 2492) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: “(4) Biennial updates.— “(A) In general.—Not less frequently than once every two years after the submittal of the initial strategy under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall— “(i) revise and update the strategy; and “(ii) submit the revised and updated strategy to the appropriate congressional committees. “(B) Sunset.—The requirement to prepare and submit updates under this paragraph shall terminate on December 31, 2030.” . (b) Limitation on Availability of Funds Pending Submittal of Strategy.—Of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2024, and available for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering for the travel of persons, not more than 90 percent may be obligated or expended until the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits to the congressional defense committees the strategy required under section 237(c)(1) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117-263; 136 Stat. 2492). (c) Evaluation of Potential Hypersonic Test Ranges.— (1) Study.—The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study to evaluate not fewer than two possible locations in the United States, selected in consultation with the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, that have potential to be used as additional corridors for long-distance hypersonic system testing. (2) Activities under national environmental policy act.—Following the completion of the study under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall initiate any activities required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) in connection with the conduct of long-distance hypersonic system testing at the locations evaluated under the study. (3) Report.—Not later than December 31, 2024, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate, and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report on the results of the study conducted under paragraph (1). (d) Annual Report on Funding and Investments in Hypersonic Capabilities.— (1) In general.—Not later than March 1, 2024, and not later than March 1 of each year thereafter through 2030, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the funding and investments of the Department of Defense relating to hypersonic capabilities, including any funding or investments with respect to the procurement, research, development, test, and evaluation, and operation and maintenance of offensive and defensive hypersonic weapons. (2) Elements.—Each report under paragraph (1) shall— (A) include cost data on the hypersonic capabilities of the Department of Defense, including vehicles, developmental and operational testing, hypersonic sensors, command and control architectures, infrastructure, testing infrastructure, software, workforce, training, ranges, integration costs, and such other items as the Secretary of Defense considers appropriate; (B) to the extent applicable, for each item included in the report, identify whether such item relates to an offensive or defensive hypersonic capability; (C) with respect to any research and development activities covered by the report, identify— (i) the program element for the activity; (ii) the name of the entity that is carrying out the activity; and (iii) the purpose of the activity; and (D) to the extent applicable, with respect to any developmental ground and flight testing and operational test and evaluation activities covered by the report, identify— (i) the program element for the activity; (ii) the name of the entity that is carrying out the activity; and (iii) the purpose of the activity. (3) Form.—Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.