WASHINGTON, D.C. ­– U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement in response to the release of the final Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act.

Senator Fischer secured dozens of key national security provisions in the bill that strengthen our military and support the state of Nebraska. 

“The federal government’s primary responsibility is the safety and security of this nation. The threats facing the United States from China, Russia, Iran, and elsewhere are the gravest in decades, and Congress must equip our military to protect the American people.  This year’s defense bill will advance vital defense priorities nationwide and in Nebraska, including key updates to our nuclear forces, munitions production, and Offutt Air Force Base.”

Key National Security Priorities

Nuclear Capabilities

• Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM) – Created a program of record for SLCM, authorization for $190M for development, and $70M for National Nuclear Security Administration to develop the warhead.
• Sentinel ICBM – Improved contracting flexibility for Sentinel Military Construction projects and created a Sentinel task force.
• New START Treaty – Prohibited the sharing of New START information with Russia without equivalent sharing from Russia.
• W76-2 Warheads – Prohibited a reduction in W76-2 warheads, a low-yield variant of a thermonuclear weapon for submarine-launched missiles.
• Minuteman III – Retained key Minuteman III provisions, including a requirement to maintain and modernize all 150 silos at each of the three sites and to decrease upload times.”

Munitions

• Multi-year Procurement – Included multi-year procurement authority for munitions, which is vital for long-term planning and the support of our military industrial base. 
• B83 Gravity Bomb – Prohibited retirement of the B83 gravity bomb and authorized the production of B61-13 gravity bombs, which are more capable against hard and deeply buried targets.

 

Israel Cooperation

• Missile Defense – Authorized cooperation between the United States and Israel on directed energy missile defense programs like the Iron Beam.
• Emerging Technology – Authorized $25M for the additional cooperation between the United States and Israel on emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence and cyber capabilities. 

 

Deterring China

 

• Chinese Appeasement – Prevents the Department of Defense from participating in entertainment projects that seek pre-approval from or modify content to appease PRC or CCP-linked entities.
• Pacific Deterrence – Extended a wide variety of investments in our capabilities to compete with and deter China (Pacific Deterrence Initiative) through 2026.

 

U.S. Strategic Command

• REACH Program – Included authorization for $10M for U.S. Strategic Command’s Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) REACH program
• Cyber Threats – Included authorization for $15M for U.S. Strategic Command’s NC3 network sensor demonstrator
• Electronic Warfare – Included provision restructuring the Department of Defense’s electronic warfare activities to more effectively align under the Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Enterprise Operations (JEMSO) office at U.S. Strategic Command

 

Key Nebraska Priorities

 

Nebraska National Guard

• National Guard Readiness Center – Authorized $9.09M to complete the National Guard Readiness Center in Bellevue, NE
• Troop Housing – Authorized $1.2M for the planning and design of Collective Training Unaccompanied Housing at Greenlief Training Site, NE
• Troop Housing – Authorized $1.9M to complete the Collective Training Unaccompanied Housing at Mead Training Site, NE
• Vehicle Maintenance Shop – Authorized $400K to complete the National Guard Vehicle Maintenance Shop in North Platte, NE

Offutt Air Force Base

• Logistics Readiness Squadron – Authorized $3.5M for planning and design of the Logistics Readiness Squadron Transportation Facility at Offutt Air Force Base
• Civil Engineering Squadron – Authorized $4.5M for planning and design of the new maintenance facility and warehouse for the 55th Wing's Civil Engineering Squadron (CES) Pavements and Grounds Shop at Offutt Air Force Base
• Base Operations Center – Authorized $5M for planning and design of the Base Operations/Mobility Center at Offutt Air Force Base
• Power Grid – Authorized $41M for microgrid and backup power at Offutt Air Force Base
• POW/MIA Accountability Agency – Authorized $5M for planning and design of the new Defense POW/MIA Accountability Agency Laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base
• 55^th Wing – Authorized $20M to upgrade RC-135 position, navigation, and timing systems to operate in a GPS-denied environment.
• 557^th Weather Wing – Authorized $9M to accelerate the Wing’s data migration efforts.