House Armed Services Committee: “FY25 NDAA Full Committee Markup” 

U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee

“FY25 NDAA Full Committee Markup”

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

Watch the Markup

Introduction

The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) held a full committee markup on H.R. 8070, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement Act, and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY25 on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The committee approved the bill in a 57-1 vote. The bill now advances to the Senate for consideration. More information.

Key Highlights

• The HASC marked up and reported H.R. 8070, FY25 NDAA, to the House, which is expected to consider the bill during the week of June 10.
• The HASC adopted the Strategic Force Subcommittee’s En Bloc amendments by voice vote. No debate was held.
• The HASC adopted an amendment to transfer Air National Guard Units to the USSF as part of the Military Personnel Subcommittee’s En Bloc amendments by voice vote. No debate was held, and no lawmakers voiced opposition to the amendment.

Opening Statements

Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL)  

In his opening statement, Chairman Rogers noted the importance of the bill in the revitalization of the defense industrial base, and the necessity of having a “ready, capable, and lethal fighting force” to deter the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and other adversaries. He also highlighted the ongoing bipartisanship in the drafting of the NDAA. Read the Full Statement

Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) 

In his opening statement, Ranking Member Smith emphasized the importance of a bipartisan process to address our national security needs. He thanked Chairman Rogers and other members for implementing reforms to help the Department of Defense (DOD) innovate more rapidly and adopt new technologies essential for modern warfare, including artificial intelligence (AI), drones, counter-drone systems, and missile defense. Ranking Member Smith emphasized the urgency of these advancements, as well as the importance of strengthening partnerships with allies, noting last year’s bill authorizing the AUKUS agreement.

Subcommittee Chairman Doug Lamborn (R-CO)

In his opening statement, Chairman Lamborn expressed ongoing concerns regarding several issues related to strategic forces. Notably, he argued that the budget for homeland and regional missile defense accepts too much risk and fails to address the current threat environment. While the subcommittee has made efforts to mitigate this by partially restoring funding to the SM-3 production line, Chairman Lamborn stressed that these measures are insufficient to fully address the risks entirely. He also highlighted that difficult decisions were made concerning certain initiatives, particularly GPS modernization, but emphasized the subcommittee’s strong support for the ongoing upgrades to the GPS system. In conclusion, Chairman Lamborn asserted that the current defense budget is “inadequate to meet the growing threats in the current security environment.” Read the Full Statement

Subcommittee Ranking Member Seth Moulton (D-MA)

In his opening statement, Ranking Member Moulton thanked Chairman Rogers, Chairman Lamborn, and committee members for maintaining a bipartisan and cooperative approach. He underscored the importance of addressing adversaries’ efforts to weaponize space, pointing out recent demonstrations of Russian and Chinese capabilities aimed at degrading U.S. space assets. He advocated for leveraging U.S. scientific and industrial ingenuity to integrate commercial capabilities into government systems, holding prime contractors accountable, and addressing policy concerns regarding missile defense and hypersonics. He concluded by urging support for the NDAA to demonstrate America’s strength and readiness to both adversaries and allies.

Consideration of Legislation

Subcommittee on Strategic Forces

The HASC approved the Strategic Forces Subcommittee En Bloc 1 amendments by voice vote. No debate was held. The Committee considered 29 amendments, of which 16 were related to space. These amendments are summarized below.

LOG ID #3799, Offered by Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE)

• Directs the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to assess space and satellite security to identify mechanisms that may be implemented to better protect ally and partner countries within the jurisdiction of U.S. Central Command.

LOG ID #3811, Offered by Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE)

• Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a briefing not later than October 1, 2024, on (1) the Department of the Air Force’s (DAF) plans to use commercial capabilities to deliver an enterprise data management architecture for command and control (C2) and space domain awareness (SDA) missions, a review of existing commercial capabilities, and (3) a plan to integrate commercial capabilities into a future data architecture.

LOG ID #3868, Offered by Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX)

• Requires the Chief of Space Operations, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, to submit a comprehensive plan for modernizing the USSF’s satellite control network, no later than 90 days after enactment.

LOG ID # 3839, Offered by Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX)

• Requires the Chief of Space Operations, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, to provide a briefing on a plan to resource and enable an architecture to connect, with operationally, relevant interoperability no later than 60 days after enactment.

LOG ID #3874, Offered by Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI)

• Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report on in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) technologies, no later than December 1, 2024.

LOG ID #3882, Offered by Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL)

• Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a briefing on the operational utility, technical applications, and procurement feasibility of deploying persistent elevated network sensors to support air and missile defense capabilities, no later than November 1, 2024.

LOG ID #3918, Offered by Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE)

• Amends the briefing on the DOD’s current electro-optical/infrared weather system (EWS) acquisition strategy to include an assessment of existing and planned commercial capabilities which could help address EWS capability gaps and other validated joint weather requirements.

LOG ID #4012, Offered by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)

• Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report describing the roles and responsibilities of organizations within the DOD regarding defense against hypersonic threats, no later than 180 days after enactment.

LOG ID #4037, Offered by Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA)

• Directs the Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), in consultation with the Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), to provide a briefing on the agency’s plan to transition Commercial System Program Office (CSPO) commercial SAR from the SCE to a sustained procurement program under the requirements established by the 2022 Statement of Capabilities for commercial synthetic aperture radar (COMSAR), no later than December 15, 2024.

LOG ID #4045, Offered by Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA)

• Directs the Chief of Space Operations to provide a briefing on the potential application of domestic, commercial high-motion video and event-based cameras to space situational awareness (SSA) no later than March 31, 2025.

LOG ID #4173, Offered by Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX)

• Directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a briefing on efforts to prioritize resilient PNT technologies when fielding satellite constellations and satellite communication services, no later than May 1, 2025.

LOG ID #4278, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA)

• Requires the Chief of Space Operations to deliver a report on plans to 1) expand the USSF acquisition workforce to include space-focused contracting officers, acquisition program managers, engineers, and program control and finance professionals; 2) ensure early-career acquisition experience and assignments for Guardians; 3) ensure acquisition professionals have the same opportunity for career advancement as operators; and 4) fill joint acquisition assignments, including at the NRO, no later than February 1, 2025.

LOG ID #4323, Offered by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC)

• Directs the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), in consultation with the heads of the other elements of the intelligence community that the Director determines appropriate, provide a briefing on the current development, testing, and deployment of hypersonic weapons by the PRC, no later than December 1, 2024.

LOG ID #4363, Offered by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)

• Directs the Chief of Space Operations to provide a briefing on plans to incorporate Operational Test and Training Infrastructure (OTTI) into the National Space Test and Training Complex (NSTTC), as well as how NSTTC will ensure participation by small businesses and leverage leading commercially available solutions to rapidly field capabilities, no later than December 31, 2024.

LOG ID #4427, Offered by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)

• Directs the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition to provide a briefing on efforts to integrate United States commercial satellite systems with the government architecture to augment and build resiliency for secure space-based data and communications, no later than December 31, 2024.

LOG ID #4477, Offered by Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA)

• Directs the Chief of Space Operations, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, and the Commander, U.S. Space Command, to provide a briefing on (1) the Current Joint Commercial Operations cell (JCO) purchase arrangements for space domain awareness (SDA) data and services and any existing statutory or regulatory impediments to implementing longer-term contracts or purchase agreements, (2) USSF plans to develop and implement a hybrid government-commercial SDA force design, including identifying requirements which could be fulfilled by commercial capabilities and services, (3) USSF plans to develop and implement supporting SDA systems and infrastructure to include software solutions, data storage, user interface and design, no later than June 1, 2025.

Subcommittee on Personnel Management

The HASC approved an amendment from the Personnel Management Subcommittee En Bloc amendments by voice vote regarding the transfer of Air National Guard Units to the USSF. No debate was held, and no lawmakers voiced opposition to the amendment. The amendment is summarized below.

LOG ID #4429, Offered by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)

• Amends language to require governors’ consent for transferring or making significant changes to Air National Guard units, makes the transfer optional by stating that the Air Force Secretary “may transfer” Air National Guard units, and requires the Secretary of Defense to submit an annual report on the progress of transferring covered space functions of the Air National Guard to the USSF, no later than January 31 of each year during the transition period.

Full Committee

The HASC approved an amendment offered by Ranking Member Seth Moulton in a 31-27 vote regarding the impact of U.S. intelligence leaks related to Russia’s development of a nuclear weapon in space. The amendment is summarized below.

LOG ID#4071, Offered by Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA)

• Requires the DOD to provide a briefing on (1) the impacts of a detonation of a nuclear weapon in space, (2) a summary of intelligence sources compromised or lost due to the classified information leak, and (3) any options that are no longer available to counter such a weapon now that its development is publicly known.

 An archive of previous markup coverage is available here.