WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the top Republican on the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, today voted in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. The bill passed the Senate by a bipartisan vote of 89-10, and now heads to the president’s desk. 

This annual legislation, which contains a number of provisions authored by Fischer, authorizes defense spending and sets the policy and priorities for our military. Overall, the bill authorizes a total of $777.9 billion for national defense.

“For the 61^st year in a row, Congress was able to come together in a bipartisan way to ensure our military has sufficient resources to continue defending the nation. The FY2022 NDAA includes critical provisions to support a pay raise for our troops, bolster Nebraska military assets, and modernize our nuclear deterrent. The legislation reflects broad agreement that the country must be prepared to address the many growing national security challenges we face,” said Senator Fischer.

Sen. Fischer spoke on the Senate floor about the FY22 NDAA earlier this week. LINK HERE. 

Below are some highlights from the FY22 NDAA:

Overall Bill Highlights:

• Increases defense spending to provide the Department of Defense with real budget growth to modernize our military and continue to pace growing threats, particularly from China.
  • Despite proposing significant increases for other federal agencies, President Biden’s original budget request proposed an increase in defense spending of 1.6 percent – less than the rate of inflation.
• The bill includes an additional $25 billion in defense spending above the president’s budget request.
• Authorizes funding to support a 2.7 percent pay raise for members of the military and reauthorizes special pay and bonuses. 

Nebraska Provisions:

• Provides $100 million for the National Disaster Recovery fund, which will help rebuild Offutt Air Force Base after the devastating flooding Nebraska experienced in 2019.
• Authorizes an additional $11 million for barracks construction at the Nebraska National Guard’s Mead Training Site – an unfunded priority for the Army.
• Recognizes the contribution Offutt-based RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft make to the joint force and the increasing demand for the critical Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities provided by the 55^th Wing. The NDAA further directs the Air Force to evaluate opportunities to increase the fleet’s operational availability.
• Supports the long-overdue replacement of the Offutt-based E-4B aircraft with the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC).
• Authorizes an additional $10 million for the Research Engineering, Architecture, and Collaboration Hub (REACH), a component of the STRATCOM-led Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Enterprise Center.

Strategic Forces Provisions:

• Fully authorizes Department of Defense programs to continue modernizing our nuclear forces, including the triad of nuclear-armed bombers, missiles, and submarines. 
• Substantially increases authorized funding for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) – a semi-autonomous agency within the Department of Energy responsible for the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile.
• Extends prohibitions on reductions to the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) force, as well as any change in the force’s alert-level or responsiveness. 
• Authorizes full funding for bilateral US-Israel missile defense programs.
• Requires the administration to conduct a Nuclear Posture Review, and creates a congressional commission to evaluate U.S. strategic posture. 
• Additional investments within the subcommittee’s jurisdiction include:
  • $75 million for Hawaii missile defense radar
  • $92 million for NNSA science and engineering programs
  • $417 million for NNSA infrastructure and operations