Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary concerned may carry out a military construction project not otherwise authorized by law if the Secretary determines (1) that the project is vital to the national security or to the protection of health, safety, or the quality of the environment, and (2) that the requirement for the project is so urgent that deferral of the project for inclusion in the next Military Construction Authorization Act would be inconsistent with national security or the protection of health, safety, or environmental quality, as the case may be.

When a decision is made to carry out a military construction project under this section, the Secretary concerned shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress on that decision. Each such report shall include (1) the justification for the project and the current estimate of the cost of the project, (2) the justification for carrying out the project under this section, and (3) a statement of the source of the funds to be used to carry out the project. The project may then be carried out only after the end of the five-day period beginning on the date the notification is received by such committees in an electronic medium pursuant to section 480 of this title.