§ 2216. Defense Modernization Account
(a)
Establishment.—
There is established in the Treasury an account to be known as the “Defense Modernization Account”.
(b)
Funds Available for Account.—
The Defense Modernization Account shall consist of the following:
(1)
Amounts appropriated to the Defense Modernization Account for the costs of commencing projects described in subsection (d)(1), and amounts reimbursed to the Defense Modernization Account under subsection (c)(1)(B)(iii) out of savings derived from such projects.
(2)
Amounts transferred to the Defense Modernization Account under subsection (c).
(c)
Transfers to Account.—
(1)
(A)
Upon a determination by the Secretary of a military department or the Secretary of Defense with respect to Defense-wide appropriations accounts of the availability and source of funds described in subparagraph (B), that Secretary may transfer to the Defense Modernization Account during any fiscal year any amount of funds available to the Secretary described in that subparagraph. Such funds may be transferred to that account only after the Secretary concerned notifies the congressional defense committees in writing of the amount and source of the proposed transfer.
(B)
This subsection applies to the following funds available to the Secretary concerned:
(i)
Unexpired funds in appropriations accounts that are available for procurement and that, as a result of economies, efficiencies, and other savings achieved in carrying out a particular procurement, are excess to the requirements of that procurement.
(ii)
Unexpired funds that are available during the final 30 days of a fiscal year for support of installations and facilities and that, as a result of economies, efficiencies, and other savings, are excess to the requirements for support of installations and facilities.
(iii)
Unexpired funds in appropriations accounts that are available for procurement or operation and maintenance of a system, if and to the extent that savings are achieved for such accounts through reductions in life cycle costs of such system that result from one or more projects undertaken with respect to such systems with funds made available from the Defense Modernization Account under subsection (b)(1).
(C)
Any transfer under subparagraph (A) shall be made under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense.
(2)
Funds referred to in paragraph (1), other than funds referred to in subparagraph (B)(iii) of such paragraph, may not be transferred to the Defense Modernization Account if—
(A)
the funds are necessary for programs, projects, and activities that, as determined by the Secretary, have a higher priority than the purposes for which the funds would be available if transferred to that account; or
(B)
the balance of funds in the account, after transfer of funds to the account, would exceed $1,000,000,000.
(3)
Amounts credited to the Defense Modernization Account shall remain available for transfer until the end of the third fiscal year that follows the fiscal year in which the amounts are credited to the account.
(4)
The period of availability of funds for expenditure provided for in sections
1551 and
1552 of title
31 may not be extended by transfer into the Defense Modernization Account.
(d)
Authorized Use of Funds.—
Funds in the Defense Modernization Account may be used for the following purposes:
(1)
For paying the costs of commencing any project that, in accordance with criteria prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, is undertaken by the Secretary of a military department or the head of a Defense Agency or other element of the Department of Defense to reduce the life cycle cost of a new or existing system.
(2)
For increasing, subject to subsection (e), the quantity of items and services procured under a procurement program in order to achieve a more efficient production or delivery rate.
(3)
For research, development, test, and evaluation and for procurement necessary for modernization of an existing system or of a system being procured under an ongoing procurement program.
(e)
Limitations.—
(1)
Funds in the Defense Modernization Account may not be used to increase the quantity of an item or services procured under a particular procurement program to the extent that doing so would—
(A)
result in procurement of a total quantity of items or services in excess of—
(i)
a specific limitation provided by law on the quantity of the items or services that may be procured; or
(ii)
the requirement for the items or services as approved by the Joint Requirements Oversight Council and reported to Congress by the Secretary of Defense; or
(B)
result in an obligation or expenditure of funds in excess of a specific limitation provided by law on the amount that may be obligated or expended, respectively, for that procurement program.
(2)
Funds in the Defense Modernization Account may not be used for a purpose or program for which Congress has not authorized appropriations.
(3)
Funds may not be transferred from the Defense Modernization Account in any year for the purpose of—
(A)
making an expenditure for which there is no corresponding obligation; or
(B)
making an expenditure that would satisfy an unliquidated or unrecorded obligation arising in a prior fiscal year.
(f)
Transfer of Funds.—
(1)
The Secretary of Defense may transfer funds in the Defense Modernization Account to appropriations available for purposes set forth in subsection (d).
(2)
Funds in the Defense Modernization Account may not be transferred under paragraph (1) until 30 days after the date on which the Secretary concerned notifies the congressional defense committees in writing of the amount and purpose of the proposed transfer.
(3)
The total amount of transfers from the Defense Modernization Account during any fiscal year under this subsection may not exceed $500,000,000.
(g)
Availability of Funds by Appropriation.—
In addition to transfers under subsection (f), funds in the Defense Modernization Account may be made available for purposes set forth in subsection (d) in accordance with the provisions of appropriations Acts, but only to the extent authorized in an Act other than an appropriations Act.
(h)
Secretary To Act Through Comptroller.—
(1)
The Secretary of Defense shall carry out this section through the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), who shall be authorized to implement this section through the issuance of any necessary regulations, policies, and procedures after consultation with the General Counsel and Inspector General of the Department of Defense.
(2)
The regulations prescribed under paragraph (1) shall, at a minimum, provide for—
(A)
the submission of proposals by the Secretaries concerned or heads of Defense Agencies or other elements of the Department of Defense to the Comptroller for the use of Defense Modernization Account funds for purposes set forth in subsection (d);
(B)
the use of a competitive process for the evaluation of such proposals and the selection of programs, projects, and activities to be funded out of the Defense Modernization Account from among those proposed for such funding; and
(C)
the calculation of—
(i)
the savings to be derived from projects described in subsection (d)(1) that are to be funded out of the Defense Modernization Account; and
(ii)
the amounts to be reimbursed to the Defense Modernization Account out of such savings pursuant to subsection (c)(1)(B)(iii).
(i)
Annual Report.—
(1)
Not later than 15 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional committees specified in paragraph (2) a report on the Defense Modernization Account. Each such report shall set forth the following:
(A)
The amount and source of each credit to the account during that fiscal year.
(B)
The amount and purpose of each transfer from the account during that fiscal year.
(C)
The balance in the account at the end of the fiscal year and, of such balance, the amount attributable to transfers to the account from each Secretary concerned.
(2)
The committees referred to in paragraph (1) are the congressional defense committees and the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of the House of Representatives.
(j)
Definitions.—
In this section:
(1)
The term “Secretary concerned” includes the Secretary of Defense with respect to Defense-wide appropriations accounts.
(2)
The term “unexpired funds” means funds appropriated for a definite period that remain available for obligation.
(k)
Expiration of Authority and Account.—
(1)
The authority under subsection (c) to transfer funds into the Defense Modernization Account terminates at the close of September 30, 2006.
(2)
Three years after the termination date specified in paragraph (1), the Defense Modernization Account shall be closed and any remaining balance in the account shall be canceled and thereafter shall not be available for any purpose.