PUBLIC LAW 106-398—APPENDIX 114 STAT. 1654A-65 and equipment are not used or are used only 20 percent or less of available work days.". (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT. —The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 4540 the following new item: "4541. Army arsenals: treatment of unutilized or underutilized plant-capacity costs.". SEC. 343. ARSENAL SUPPORT PROGRAM INITIATIVE. (a) DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM REQUIRED.—To help maintain the viability of the Army manufacturing arsenals and the unique capabilities of these arsenals to support the national security interests of the United States, the Secretary of the Army shall carry out a demonstration program under this section during fiscal years 2001 and 2002 at each manufacturing arsenal of the Department of the Army. (b) PURPOSES OF DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.— The purposes of the demonstration program are as follows: (1) To provide for the utilization of the existing skilled workforce at the Army manufacturing arsenals by commercial firms. (2) To provide for the reemployment and retraining of skilled workers who, as a result of declining workload and reduced Army spending on arsenal production requirements at these Army arsenals, are idled or underemployed. (3) To encourage commercial firms, to the maximum extent practicable, to use these Army arsenals for commercial purposes. (4) To increase the opportunities for small businesses (including socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns and new small businesses) to use these Army arsenals for those purposes. (5) To maintain in the United States a work force having the skills in manufacturing processes that are necessary to meet industrial emergency planned requirements for national security purposes. (6) To demonstrate innovative business practices, to support Department of Defense acquisition reform, and to serve as both a model and a laboratory for future defense conversion initiatives of the Department of Defense. (7) To the maximum extent practicable, to allow the operation of these Army arsenals to be rapidly responsive to the forces of free market competition. (8) To reduce or eliminate the cost of Government ownership of these Army arsenals, including the costs of operations and maintenance, the costs of environmental remediation, and other costs. (9) To reduce the cost of products of the Department of Defense produced at these Army arsenals. (10) To leverage private investment at these Army arsenals through long-term facility use contracts, property management contracts, leases, or other agreements that support and advance the demonstration program for the following activities: (A) Recapitalization of plant and equipment. (B) Environmental remediation. (C) Promotion of commercial business ventures.
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