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The National Defense Authorization Bill (NDAA) is a bill passed by Congress every year to authorize funding levels for the military and pay for our men and women in uniform.  

This week, the House Armed Services Committee passed the annual FY 2022 NDAA out of committee, with only two Democrats voting against the bill.  It will now be sent to the full House Floor for consideration whenever the Democrat leadership chooses to schedule it.  With threats from our adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran continuing to grow – along with the complete collapse of Afghanistan – Congress must provide our troops the resources they need to keep pace with our adversaries and counter the many emerging threats to our homeland.

Accountability for Afghanistan

Many of my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee offered amendments during the Committee markup on NDAA this past week that will help address some of the many concerns about President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.  I was happy to see that members of the committee worked in a bipartisan fashion to pass the following Republican amendments:

• The Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) amendment requiring The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense to provide a briefing quarterly on United States military operations related to security and threats emanating from Afghanistan.

• The Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) amendment directing the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to Congress regarding equipment, property, and classified material that was destroyed, surrendered, or abandoned in Afghanistan.

• The Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) amendment requiring the Secretary of Defense brief Congress on the decision to leave Bagram Air Base.
  
  
• The Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) amendment requiring the Secretary of Defense to submit a report quarterly on the threat potential of Al-Qaeda and related terrorist groups under a Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
  
  
• The Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) amendment requiring the Secretary of Defense to issue a report regarding Iran’s support for the Taliban and what, if any role, it played in the loss of American lives in Afghanistan.
• She also offered an amendment that passed requiring the Secretary of Defense to issue a report regarding Iran’s support of militant groups that commit human rights violations.

Strengthening Our Defense & Countering Our Adversaries

Among many others, here are a few notable Republican amendments included in the NDAA that will strengthen our military and counter threats from our adversaries:

• The Republican Leader Mike Rogers (R-AL) amendment to increase defense spending by nearly $25 billion, ensuring growth of 3 percent above inflation.  This will help ensure the United States can adequately strengthen our military readiness. 
  
  
• The Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) amendment to require the Commander of the United States Strategic Command to make an unclassified notification to Congress should China's stockpile of ICBMs exceed the number in the U.S. stockpile.  China is undergoing an unprecedented, rapid nuclear build-up, and the U.S. must be ready to deter these threats.
  
  
• The Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) amendment requiring the Department of Defense to issue a report regarding Iran’s support of the Assad regime in Syria.

Unfortunately, Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee blocked these important Republican amendments from being included in this year’s bill:

• The Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) amendment that would ban Critical Race Theory teachings in our military.

• The Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) amendment that would bar the construction of detention facilities to house detainees from Guantanamo Bay in the United States.
• The Democrats also rejected an amendment by Rep. Turner that would bar the transfer of high-profile detainees to the United States from Guantanamo Bay.

Even though the Biden-Harris Administration chose to put forward a budget this past Spring that shortchanged the military, my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee prioritized our men and women in uniform and authorized key investments in critical military capabilities to confront aggression and address the ever-evolving threats from around the globe. 

Once the House and Senate each pass their version of this bill, the next step will be to go to a conference committee where differences between the two chambers will be worked out.  Once a report is issued by that conference committee and approved in both the House and Senate, the bill will go to the President’s desk for his signature.

May you and yours have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend!