,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #cidd  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,march #ad1    
#bjbd,mr4 ,vance 7for himself1 ,mr4     
,rubio1 ,mr4 ,schmitt1 ,mr4 ,hawley1 and
 ,mr4 ,cotton7 introduced the following 
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,armed ,services   
,a ,,bill  ,to establish the ,william   
,s4 ,knudsen ,commission for ,american  
,defense-,industrial ,mobilization1 and 
for other purposes4  #a4 ,short title   
,this ,act may be cited as the ,william 
,s4 ,knudsen ,defense ,remobilization   
,act4  #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the
 following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,united  
,states faces a critical lack of        
domestic industrial capacity necessary  
to support and maintain its defense1    
particularly in the event of a major    
conflict4  7#b7 ,current and building   
shortages of munitions and materiel are 
estimated to require years to replenish 
sufficiently4  7#c7 ,the domestic       
industrial base is shaped by ,federal   

,government policies1 including by a    
raft of regulations that often inhibit  
production and expansion4  7#d7 ,the    
lack of industrial capacity now         
constituted a major threat to the       
national security as conflicts supplied 
with ,united ,states arms escalate      
around the globe and imminent threats to
 ,united ,states interests have emerged4
  7#e7 ,before entering ,world ,war     
,,ii1 the ,united ,states faced a       
similar crisis of adequate defense      
production as it supplied its allies in 
,europe and prepared for the event of   
war4  7#f7 ,in #aidj1 ,william ,s4      
,knudsen1 an ,american automotive       
executive1 was tasked with coordinating 
and spearheading the nation's war       
production by serving as the chairman of
 the ,office of ,production ,management 
and as a member of the ,national        
,defense ,advisory ,commission4  7#g7   
,as a result of ,mr4 ,knudsen's efforts1
 the ,united ,states mobilized an       
unprecedented industrial war production 

network1 renowned as the ,arsenal of    
,democracy1 that enabled ,allied        
victory4  #c4 ,establishment of the     
,william ,s4 ,knudsen ,commission for   
,american ,defense-,industrial          
,mobilization  7a7 ,establishment ,there
 is established in the legislative      
branch the ,william ,s4 ,knudsen        
,commission for ,american               
,defense-,industrial ,mobilization      
7referred to in this ,act as the        
,commission74  7b7 ,purpose ,the purpose
 of the ,commission is to examine and   
make recommendations to the ,president  
and ,congress with respect to the       
defense-industrial base of the ,united  
,states4  7c7 ,membership  7#a7         
,composition ,the ,commission shall be  
composed of #ab members of whom-- 7,a7  
#a member shall be appointed by the     
majority leader of the ,senate2  7,b7 #a
 member shall be appointed by the       
minority leader of the ,senate2  7,c7 #a
 member shall be appointed by the       
,speaker of the ,house of               

,representatives2  7,d7 #a member shall 
be appointed by the minority leader of  
the ,house of ,representatives2  7,e7 #b
 members shall be appointed by the chair
 of the ,committee on ,armed ,services  
of the ,senate2  7,f7 #b members shall  
be appointed by the ranking minority    
member of the ,committee on ,armed      
,services of the ,senate2  7,g7 #b      
members shall be appointed by the chair 
of the ,committee on ,armed ,services of
 the ,house of ,representatives2 and    
7,h7 #b members shall be appointed by   
the ranking minority member of the      
,committee on ,armed ,services of the   
,house of ,representatives4  7#b7       
,qualifications the members appointed   
under paragraph 7#a7 shall be from among
 individuals who-- 7,a7 are ,united     
,states citizens2 and  7,b7 have        
significant professional experience or  
expertise in-- 7i7 the manufacturing    
sector2  7ii7 defense procurement2      
7iii7 defense technology and innovation2
 and  7iv7 industrial policy4  7#c7     

,deadline for appointment  7,a7 ,in     
general ,all members of the ,commission 
shall be appointed under paragraph 7#a7 
not later than #de days after the date  
of the enactment of this ,act4  7,b7    
,effect of lack of appointments by      
appointment date ,if one or more        
appointments under paragraph 7#a7 is not
 made by the date specified in          
subparagraph 7,a7-- 7i7 the authority to
 make such appointment or appointments  
shall expire2 and  7ii7 the number of   
members of the ,commission shall be     
reduced by the number of appointments   
not made by that date4  7#d7 ,chair2    
vice chair  7,a7 ,chair ,the chairs of  
the appropriate congressional committees
 shall jointly designate one member of  
the ,commission to serve as chair of the
 ,commission4  7,b7 ,vice chair ,the    
ranking minority members of the         
appropriate congressional committees    
shall jointly designate one member of   
the ,commission to serve as vice chair  
of the ,commission4  7#e7 ,meetings     

7,a7 ,initial meeting ,the ,commission  
shall hold the first meeting as soon as 
practicable after #b_/c of the members  
of the ,commission have been appointed  
under paragraph 7#a74  7,b7 ,subsequent 
meetings ,after its initial meeting1 the
 ,commission shall meet upon the call of
 the chair or a majority of its members4
  7#f7 ,quorum ,eight members of the    
,commission shall constitute a quorum   
for purposes of conducting business4    
7#g7 ,period of appointment2 vacancies  
,members of the ,commission shall be    
appointed for the life of the           
,commission4 ,a vacancy in the          
,commission does not affect the powers  
of the ,commission and shall 7except as 
provided by paragraph 7#c77;,b77 be     
filled in the same manner in which the  
original appointment was made4  7#h7    
,removal of members  7,a7 ,in general ,a
 member of the ,commission may be       
removed from the ,commission for cause  
by the individual serving in the        
position responsible for the original   

appointment of the member under         
paragraph 7#a71 provided that notice is 
first provided to that official of the  
cause for removal1 and removal is voted 
and agreed upon by #c_/d of the members 
of the ,commission4  7,b7 ,vacancies ,a 
vacancy created by the removal of a     
member of the ,commission under         
subparagraph 7,a7 does not affect the   
powers of the ,commission and shall be  
filled in the same manner in which the  
original appointment was made4  7d7     
,duties  7#a7 ,review ,the ,commission  
shall conduct a review of the defense   
industrial base of the ,united ,states1 
including an assessment of the          
production requirements necessary to    
wage a major war across multiple        
theaters4  7#b7 ,assessment ,the        
,commission shall assess the following3 
7,a7 ,lessons learned from the          
experience of major war in ,ukraine1    
including a classified annex addressed  
to whether current operational plans for
 major war contingency scenarios in     

,europe1 the ,middle ,east1 and ,asia   
give due consideration to the lessons   
learned from that and other recent      
conflicts around the world4  7,b7 ,the  
expected defense production requirements
 necessary to wage a major war across   
one or more theaters1 with attention to 
minimum production requirements1        
ordinary production requirements1 and   
requirements in order to scale          
production quickly and at need4  7,c7   
,identification and establishment of    
minimum and optimal production and      
stocks of key1 critical weapons systems 
and associated munitions production and 
maintenance capacity indexed against    
operational planning for major war in   
,europe1 the ,middle ,east1 and ,asia4  
7,d7 ,the current1 standing capacity of 
the ,united ,states defense industrial  
base to produce weapons systems1        
ammunition1 and other necessary supplies
 and maintenance necessary for different
 major war contingency scenarios1       
including sub-tier contracting1 with a  

view to identifying supply chain        
bottlenecks1 obstacles to competition1  
and requirements for the conversion of  
civilian commercial facilities to       
defense production in a national        
emergency4  7,e7 ,the policies and      
programs of the ,federal ,government    
that affect domestic industrial capacity
 that is or can be used for defense     
production4  7,f7 ,the burden imposed on
 different sectors within the defense   
industrial base as a result of          
regulations issued by-- 7i7 the         
,department of ,energy2  7ii7 the       
,environmental ,protection ,agency2     
7iii7 the ,department of ,commerce2     
7iv7 the ,department of ,defense2 and   
7v7 the ,small ,business                
,administration4  7#c7 ,recommendations 
,the ,commission shall make             
recommendations with respect to the     
following matters3 7,a7 ,reforms to     
operational planning and defense        
procurement planning with a view to     
ensuring ,united ,states contingency    

plans-- 7i7 are well suited to likely   
contingency scenarios2  7ii7 reflect the
 lessons learned from recent wars to    
include ,russia's war in ,ukraine2 and  
7iii7 reflect the correct balance of new
 and legacy technology to provide the   
,united ,states the greatest possible   
operational advantage in future         
contingency operations4  7,b7 ,reforms  
to existing ,federal programs and       
policies related to defense production1 
procurement1 and innovation4  7,c7      
,federal regulations that inhibit       
defense production and innovation and   
their estimated burden to producers1    
including regulations issued by-- 7i7   
the ,department of ,energy2  7ii7 the   
,environmental ,protection ,agency2     
7iii7 the ,department of ,commerce2 and 
7iv7 the ,department of ,defense4  7,d7 
,funding levels necessary to support    
increased domestic industrial capacity4 
7,e7 ,new ,federal policies1 programs1  
and offices that can support a          
defense-industrial mobilization and     

increased domestic industrial capacity4 
7e7 ,report and briefing required  7#a7 
,in general ,not later than one year    
after the date of the enactment of this 
,act1 the ,commission shall submit to   
the ,president and the appropriate      
congressional committees a report on the
 ,commission's findings1 conclusions1   
and recommendations4  7#b7 ,elements    
,the report required under paragraph    
7#a7 shall include-- 7,a7 a proposed    
strategy for increasing the industrial  
capacity of the ,united ,states for     
defense production2  7,b7 the assessment
 required by subsection 7d77#b72  7,c7  
the recommendations required by         
subsection 7d77#c72 and  7,d7           
considerations for policymakers1        
including members and committees of     
,congress4  7#c7 ,interim briefing ,not 
later than #ahj days after the deadline 
for appointment of members of the       
,commission specified in subsection     
7c77#c77;,a71 the ,commission shall     
provide to the appropriate congressional

 committees a briefing on the status of 
the review1 assessments1 and            
recommendations required by subsection  
7d71 including a discussion of any      
interim recommendations4  7f7 ,advice   
and input ,the ,committee shall seek the
 advise and input of industry partners1 
manufacturing policy experts1 ,state and
 local development officials1 and       
manufacturing worker interests when     
performing the duties described in      
subsection 7d7 and producing the report 
required under subsection 7e71 including
 by-- 7#a7 holding not less than #d     
public hearings per year during which   
industry representatives1 worker groups1
 and regional representatives can       
provide insight regarding the current   
state of the defense-industrial base and
 the requirements for its full          
mobilization2 and  7#b7 establishing an 
,industry ,advisory ,board of not more  
than #aj members appointed by the chair1
 which shall include-- 7,a7 an expert   
industrial competitiveness and national 

security2  7,b7 a manufacturing trade   
association representative2  7,c7 a     
representative of small business        
government contractors2  7,d7 a         
manufacturing worker representative2    
7,e7 a representative from a private    
investment firm investing in the defense
 and industrial sectors2 and  7,f7 such 
other representatives as the chair may  
appoint4  7g7 ,assistance from ,federal 
agencies  7#a7 ,information and         
suggestions ,the ,commission may secure 
directly from the ,department of        
,defense1 the ,department of ,energy1   
the ,department of ,commerce1 the       
,environmental ,protection ,agency1 the 
,small ,business ,administration1 the   
,department of the ,treasury1 and the   
,united ,states ,trade ,representative  
information1 suggestions1 estimates1 and
 statistics for the purposes of this    
section4 ,each such agency shall1 to the
 extent authorized by law1 furnish such 
information1 suggestions1 estimates1 and
 statistics directly to the ,commission 

upon receiving a request made by-- 7,a7 
the chair of the ,commission2  7,b7 the 
chair of any subcommittee of the        
,commission created by a majority of    
members of the ,commission2 or  7,c7 any
 member the ,commission designated by a 
majority of the ,commission for purposes
 of making requests under this          
paragraph4  7#b7 ,additional assistance 
,departments and agencies of the ,united
 ,states may provide to the ,commission 
such services1 funds1 facilities1 staff1
 and other support services as those    
departments and agencies may determine  
advisable and as may be authorized by   
law4  7h7 ,compensation and travel      
expenses  7#a7 ,status as federal       
employees ,notwithstanding the          
requirements of section #baje of title  
#e1 ,united ,states ,code1 including the
 requirements relating to supervision   
under subsection 7a77#c7 of such        
section1 the members of the ,commission 
shall be deemed to be ,federal          
employees4  7#b7 ,compensation ,each    

member of the ,commission may be        
compensated at not to exceed the daily  
equivalent of the annual rate of basic  
pay in effect for a position at level   
,,iv of the ,executive ,schedule under  
section #ecae of title #e1 ,united      
,states ,code1 for each day during which
 that member is engages in the actual   
performance of the duties of the        
,commission4  7#c7 ,travel expenses     
,while away from their homes or regular 
places of business in the performance of
 services for the ,commission1 members  
of the ,commission shall be allowed     
travel expenses1 including per diem in  
lieu of subsistence1 in the same manner 
as persons employed intermittently in   
the ,government service are allowed     
expenses under section #egjc of title   
#e1 ,united ,states ,code4  7i7 ,staff  
7#a7 ,executive director ,the           
,commission shall appoint and fix the   
rate of basic pay for an ,executive     
,director in accordance with section    
#cafa of title #e1 ,united ,states      

,code4  7#b7 ,pay ,the ,executive       
,director appointed under paragraph 7#a7
 may1 with the approval of the          
,commission1 appoint and fix the rate of
 basic pay for additional personnel as  
staff of the ,commission in accordance  
with section #cafa7;d7 of title #e1     
,united ,states ,code4  7j7 ,personal   
services  7#a7 ,authority to procure    
,the ,commission may-- 7,a7 procure the 
services of experts or consultants 7or  
of organizations of experts or          
consultants7 in accordance with the     
provisions of section #caji of title #e1
 ,united ,states ,code2 and  7,b7 pay in
 connection with such services travel   
expenses of individuals1 including      
transportation and per diem in lieu of  
subsistence1 while such individuals are 
traveling from their homes or places of 
business to duty stations4  7#b7        
,maximum daily pay rates ,the daily rate
 paid an expert or consultant procured  
pursuant to paragraph 7#a7 may not      
exceed the daily equivalent of the      

annual rate of basic pay in effect for a
 position at level ,,iv of the          
,executive ,schedule under section #ecae
 of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4    
7k7 ,contracting authority ,the         
,commission may acquire administrative  
supplies and equipment for ,commission  
use to the extent funds are available4  
7l7 ,authority ,to accept gifts  7#a7   
,in general ,the ,commission may accept1
 sue1 and dispose of gifts or donations 
of services1 goods1 and property from   
non-,federal entities for the purposes  
of aiding and facilitating the work of  
the ,commission4 ,the authority under   
this paragraph does not extend to gifts 
of money4  7#b7 ,documentation2         
conflicts of interest ,the ,commission  
shall document gifts accepted under the 
authority provided by paragraph 7#a7 and
 shall avoid conflicts of interest or   
the appearance of conflicts of interest4
  7#c7 ,compliance with congressional   
ethics rules ,except as specifically    
provided in this section1 a member of   

the ,commission shall comply with rules 
set forth by the ,select ,committee on  
,ethics of the ,senate and the          
,committee on ,ethics of the ,house of  
,representative governing employees of  
the ,senate and the ,house of           
,representatives1 respectively4  7m7    
,postal services ,the ,commission may   
use the ,united ,states mails in the    
same manner and under the same          
conditions as departments and agencies  
of the ,united ,states4  7n7 ,commission
 support ,not later than #fj days after 
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,secretary of ,defense shall seek to
 enter into a contract with a federally 
funded research and development center  
to provide appropriate staff and        
administrative support for the          
activities of the ,commission4  7o7     
,expedition of security clearances ,the 
,office of ,senate ,security and the    
,office of ,house ,security shall ensure
 the expedited processing of appropriate
 security clearances for personnel      

appointed to the ,commission by offices 
of the ,senate and ,house of            
,representatives1 respectively1 under   
processes developed for the clearance of
 legislative branch employees4  7p7     
,legislative advisory committee ,the    
,commission shall operate as a          
legislative advisory committee and shall
 not be subject to the provisions of the
 ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e 
,u4,s4,c4 ,app474  7q7 ,funding ,there  
is authorized to be appropriated        
#g1jjj1jjj for the ,commission to carry 
out activities under this ,act4 ,such   
funds shall remain available until      
expended4  7r7 ,termination  7#a7 ,in   
general ,the ,commission shall terminate
 on the date that is #ij days after the 
,commission submits the final report    
required by subsection 7e74  7#b7       
,administrative actions before          
termination ,the ,commission may use the
 #ij-;day period described in paragraph 
7#a7 for the purpose of concluding its  
activities1 including providing         

testimony to committees of ,congress    
with respect to and disseminating the   
report required by subsection 7e74  7s7 
,appropriate congressional committees   
defined ,in this section1 the term      
appropriate congressional committees    
means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,armed   
,services of the ,senate2 and  7#b7 the 
,committee on ,armed ,services of the   
,house of ,representatives4