,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dfgg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #c1      
#bjbf,mr4 ,cruz 7for himself1 ,mr4      
,kelly1 and ,ms4 ,slotkin7 introduced   
the following bill2 which was read twice
 and referred to the ,committee on      
,armed ,services  ,a ,,bill  ,to provide
 a prohibition on certain reductions to 
,,mq-#i aircraft units1 and for other   
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,sustainment of     
,unmanned ,systems1 ,total ,force       
,aircraft ,inventory1 and ,national     
,guard ,protection ,act or the ,,sustain
 ,act4  #b4 ,prohibition on certain     
reductions to ,,mq-#i aircraft units    
7a7 ,prohibition ,except as provided in 
this section1 during the covered period1
 the ,secretary of the ,air ,force may  
not-- 7#a7 divest1 deactivate1          
redesignate1 consolidate1 transfer1     
initiate any action to retire1 place in 
backup aircraft inventory status1 or    
otherwise reduce the mission capability 

of any ,,mq-#i aircraft or ,,mq-#i      
aircraft unit in existence on the date  
of the enactment of this ,act1 including
 by-- 7,a7 reducing the total primary   
aerospace vehicle authorization 7,,paa7 
number of ,,mq-#i aircraft assigned to  
any unit of the ,air ,national ,guard   
below the levels in effect on such date 
of enactment2 or  7,b7 reducing the     
primary mission aircraft inventory of   
,,mq-#i aircraft of the ,air ,force     
below the levels in effect on such date 
of enactment2  7#b7 modify the designed 
operational capability statement for any
 ,,mq-#i aircraft unit1 as in effect on 
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
in a manner that would reduce the       
capabilities of such a unit below the   
levels specified in such statement as in
 effect on such date2 or  7#c7 reduce1  
below the levels in effect on such date 
of enactment1 the number of personnel   
assigned to units responsible for the   
operation and maintenance of ,,mq-#i    
aircraft if such reduction would affect 

the ability of such units to meet the   
capability described in paragraph 7#b74 
7b7 ,exception for individual aircraft  
,the prohibition under subsection 7a7   
shall not apply to an individual ,,mq-#i
 aircraft if the ,secretary of the ,air 
,force-- 7#a7 determines1 on a          
case-by-case basis1 that the aircraft is
 unsafe to operate1 uneconomical to     
repair1 or no longer mission capable due
 to mishap damage1 structural condition1
 airworthiness1 obsolescence1 or other  
material sustainment issue2 and  7#b7   
meets the requirements of subsection 7c7
 with respect to the ,,mq-#i aircraft   
unit concerned4  7c7 ,exception for     
mission conversion ,the prohibition     
under subsection 7a7 shall not apply to 
an ,,mq-#i aircraft unit if the         
,secretary of the ,air ,force1 with the 
approval of the applicable governor     
pursuant to section #ajd7;c7 of title   
#cb1 ,united ,states ,code-- 7#a7       
assigns to such unit a new primary      
mission2  7#b7 certifies to the         

congressional defense committees that   
such mission will maintain or enhance   
the operational capability of such unit 
within the total force2 and  7#c7       
submits to the congressional defense    
committees a plan describing-- 7,a7 the 
personnel impacts of mission conversion2
  7,b7 the projected operational        
capability of the new mission1 including
 programmed funding and required        
manpower2  7,c7 the timeline for        
transition2 and  7,d7 any associated    
aircraft1 systems1 or infrastructure    
requirements4  7d7 ,consultation        
requirement ,the ,secretary of the ,air 
,force shall consult with the ,chief of 
the ,national ,guard ,bureau and the    
,director of the ,air ,national ,guard  
before taking any action to retire1     
divest1 reduce1 realign1 restructure1   
redesignate1 consolidate1 transfer1 or  
otherwise modify any ,,mq-#i aircraft or
 ,,mq-#i aircraft unit assigned to the  
,air ,national ,guard4  #c4 ,report on  
recapitalization plan  7a7 ,report      

required ,not later than #ahj days after
 the date of the enactment of this ,act1
 the ,secretary of the ,air ,force1 in  
coordination with the ,director of the  
,air ,national ,guard1 shall submit to  
the congressional defense committees a  
report on the plan of the ,department of
 the ,air ,force to recapitalize the    
,,mq-#i aircraft fleet4  7b7 ,elements  
,the report required by subsection 7a7  
shall include the following3 7#a7 ,an   
assessment of the current operational   
status1 projected service life1 and     
mission requirements of the ,,mq-#i     
aircraft fleet4  7#b7 ,a description of 
planned modernization efforts1          
sustainment activities1 and capability  
upgrades for ,,mq-#i aircraft through   
fiscal year #bjce4  7#c7 ,an assessment 
of options for recapitalization or      
modernization ,,mq-#i aircraft4  7#d7 ,a
 description of the role of the ,air    
,national ,guard in the future ,,mq-#i  
aircraft force structure and            
recapitalization strategy4  7#e7 ,a     

projected timeline and estimated funding
 requirements associated with           
recapitalization of the ,,mq-#i aircraft
 fleet4  7#f7 ,an identification of any 
legislative authorities required to     
implement the recapitalization plan4    
#d4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7    
,congressional defense committees ,the  
term congressional defense committees   
has the meaning given that term in      
section #aja7;a7 of title #aj1 ,united  
,states ,code4  7#b7 ,covered period    
,the term covered period means the      
period beginning on the date of the     
enactment of this ,act and ending on    
,september #cj1 #bjcb4  7#c7 ,designed  
operational capability statement ,the   
term designed operational capability    
statement has the meaning given that    
term in ,air ,force ,instruction        
#aj-bja4