Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 124.djvu/4310

 124 STAT. 4284 PUBLIC LAW 111–383—JAN. 7, 2011 goal of establishing an assured source of supply of such material by December 31, 2015; (3) an assessment of the availability of financing to industry, academic institutions, or not-for-profit entities to pro- vide the capacity required to ensure the availability of the material, as well as potential mechanisms to increase the avail- ability of such financing; (4) an assessment of the benefits, if any, of Defense Produc- tion Act funding to support the establishment of an assured source of supply for military components; (5) an assessment of funding for research and development related to any aspect of the rare earth material supply chain or research on alternatives and substitutes; (6) any other risk mitigation method determined appro- priate by the Secretary that is consistent with the goal of establishing an assured source of supply by December 31, 2015; and (7) for steps of the rare earth material supply chain for which no other risk mitigation method, as described in para- graphs (1) through (6), will ensure an assured source of supply by December 31, 2015, a specific plan to eliminate supply chain vulnerability by the earliest date practicable. (c) REPORT.— (1) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional committees described in paragraph (2) a report containing the findings of the assessment required under subsection (a) and the plan developed under subsection (b). (2) CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—The congressional committees described in this paragraph are as follows: (A) The congressional defense committees. (B) The Committee on Science and Technology, the Committee on Financial Services, and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives. (C) The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Committee on Finance, and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate. SEC. 844. REVIEW OF NATIONAL SECURITY EXCEPTION TO COMPETI - TION. (a) REVIEW REQUIRED.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall review the use of the national security exception to full and open competition provided in section 2304(c)(6) of title 10, United States Code, by the Department of Defense. (b) MATTERS REVIEWED.—The review of the use of the national security exception required by subsection (a) shall include— (1) the pattern of usage of such exception by acquisition organizations within the Department to determine which organizations are commonly using the exception and the fre- quency of such usage; (2) the range of items or services being acquired through the use of such exception; (3) the process for reviewing and approving justifications involving such exception;