Rep. Gallego Statement on House NDAA Passage
WASHINGTON, DC—The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included key provisions proposed by Rep. Gallego including his Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations' portion of the bill and $175 million in funding to support the Baltic Security Initiative.
Statement from Rep. Ruben Gallego on the full house passage of the NDAA:
"After robust debate in the full House, I'm proud to join my colleagues in passing the National Defense Authorization Act with bipartisan support. Not only does the bill provide our military with the funding needed to protect America's national security interests at home and abroad but it also includes key provisions I proposed such as the Baltic Security Initiative, which supports our Baltic and NATO allies and keeps Russia in check. In addition to meeting our defense needs, this bill provides a 2.7% pay raise for our troops, improves parental leave for military families, and combats extremism in the military. I'm glad the House was able to pass this critical package in a bipartisan way and move the NDAA one step closer to the president's desk."
Rep. Gallego Provisions included in FY2022 NDAA:
- Baltic Security Initiative. Included in the Chairman's Mark of the NDAA, this first-ever authorization of $175 million will provide assistance with respect to air defense; maritime situational awareness; ammunition; Command, Control, Communications, Computers (C4) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) (C4ISR); anti-tank capabilities; special forces; and other defense capabilities to ensure the security of the Baltic nations of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, which are critical to the security of the NATO alliance.
- Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. The provision establishes an office to carry out the mission currently performed by the Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon Task Force (in coordination with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence) and submit an annual report on unidentified aerial phenomena.
- Congressional notification of use of force. The provision requires the President to submit a report on hostilities involving U.S. forces to the Defense and Foreign Affairs Committees no later than 48 hours after any incident in which U.S. forces are involved.
- Securing allies' 5G networks to prevent malign influence from strategic competitors like China, Russia, and their state-owned and affiliated companies. The provision directs the Secretary of Defense to provide details to Congress on existing United States efforts to help NATO allies secure national 5G communications networks and opportunities and challenges to expanding those efforts.
- Supporting our alliance with South Korea. The provision reiterates that the presence of 28,500 United States Armed Forces in South Korea serves as a strong deterrent against North Korean military aggression and as reassurance for our allies in the region.
- National Network for Microelectronics Development. The provision strengthens the U.S. semiconductor supply chain by requiring the Department of Defense to establish a national network for microelectronics research and development. It also directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report on efforts to establish a national network for microelectronics research and development.
- Reaffirming Support for Taiwan. The provision expresses the Sense of Congress that the United States should continue to support the development of the capable, ready, and modern defense forces necessary for Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.
- Support for the A-10. The provision adds $100 million in funding for upgrading the A-10 fleet to ensure it can continue to provide unparalleled close air support to our troops for years to come.
- Special Operations Forces Technical Skills. The provision prioritizes the cultivation of technical skills for Special Operations Forces, including computer programming, psychological operations, and foreign language proficiency, which are all essential to the conduct of irregular warfare. Recruiting, enhancing, and retaining personnel with these skills within Special Operations Forces will help the Defense Department proactively posture against malign influence.
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Rep. Ruben Gallego is a Marine Corps combat veteran who served in Iraq. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Natural Resources Committee, and the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.