,,ii  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #agfd  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,november #ba1 
#bjac,ms4 ,ayotte 7for herself1 ,mr4    
,blunt1 ,mr4 ,crapo1 ,mrs4 ,mc,caskill1 
,mr4 ,graham1 ,mr4 ,isakson1 and ,ms4   
,baldwin7 introduced the following bill2
 which was read twice and referred to   
the ,committee on ,armed ,services  ,a  
,,bill  ,to limit the retirement of     
,a-#aj aircraft4  #a4 ,limitation on    
retirement of ,a-#aj aircraft  7a7      
,limitation ,none of the funds          
authorized to be appropriated or        
otherwise made available for the        
,department of ,defense may be obligated
 or expended to retire1 prepare to      
retire1 or place in storage any ,a-#aj  
aircraft until each of the following3   
7#a7 ,the ,secretary of the ,air ,force 
certifies to the congressional defense  
committees each of the following3 7,a7  
,that the ,f-#ce;,a aircraft has        
achieved full operational capability4   
7,b7 ,that the ,f-#ce;,a aircraft has   

achieved ,block #d;,a capabilities1     
including-- 7i7 an enhanced electronic  
warfare capability that will allow the  
,f-#ce;,a aircraft to counter emerging  
threats in a close air support 7,,cas7  
environment2 and  7ii7 a ,,gbu-#ec      
,small ,diameter ,bomb version ,,ii or  
equivalent weapon operational           
capability4  7,c7 ,that a number of     
,f-#ce;,a aircraft exists in the ,air   
,force inventory in sufficient quantity 
to replace the ,a-#aj aircraft being    
retired in order to meet close air      
support capability requirements of the  
combatant commands4  7#b7 ,the          
,comptroller ,general of the ,united    
,states submits to the congressional    
defense committees a report setting     
forth the following3 7,a7 ,an assessment
 whether each certification under       
paragraph 7#a7 is comprehensive1 fully  
supported1 and sufficiently detailed4   
7,b7 ,an identification of any          
shortcomings1 limitations1 or other     
reportable matters that affect the      

quality or findings of any certification
 under paragraph 7#a74  7b7 ,deadline   
for submittal of ,comptroller ,general  
report ,the report of the ,comptroller  
,general under paragraph 7#b7 of        
subsection 7a7 shall be submitted not   
later than #ij days after the date of   
the submittal of the certification      
referred to in paragraph 7#a7 of that   
subsection4  7c7 ,congressional defense 
committees defined ,in this section1 the
 term congressional defense committees  
has the meaning given that term in      
section #aja7;a77#af7 of title #aj1     
,united ,states ,code4