; (2) removed all weapons from its land reclamation sites; and (3) established a consistent four-year track record of taking actions toward stabilizing the region. 1246. Assessment of and report on geopolitical conditions in the Indo-Pacific region (a) Assessment (1) In general Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall select and enter into an agreement with an entity independent of the Department of Defense to conduct an assessment of the geopolitical conditions in the Indo-Pacific region that are necessary for the successful implementation of the National Defense Strategy. (2) Matters to be included The assessment required by paragraph (1) shall include a determination of the geopolitical conditions in the Indo-Pacific region, including any change in economic and political relations, that are necessary to support United States military requirements for forward defense, extensive forward basing, and alliance formation and strengthening in such region. (b) Report Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the independent entity selected under subsection (a) shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results of the assessment conducted under that subsection. (c) Department of Defense support The Secretary shall provide the independent entity selected under subsection (a) with timely access to appropriate information, data, resources, and analyses necessary for the independent entity to conduct the assessment required by that subsection in a thorough and independent manner. (d) Appropriate committees of Congress defined In this section, the term appropriate committees of Congress means— (1) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate