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U.S. Representative Scott Franklin (FL-15) secured nine amendments to the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) during the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) mark up. The NDAA authorizes Department of Defense spending and policies for each fiscal year. HASC is responsible for creating and passing the NDAA before it is sent to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote.

Rep. Franklin’s amendments address several important issues related to defense and national security, including providing congressional oversight of the Afghanistan withdrawal, aiding U.S. partners in Ukraine, supporting small businesses working in the artificial intelligence sector, enhancing the Department of Defense’s (DOD) cybersecurity, and more. The final bill authorizes $778 billion in military funding for fiscal year 2022. It passed committee by a vote of 57-2 and will ultimately come before the House of Representatives for full consideration.

“Providing needed resources and funding for our military is a critical responsibility of Congress,” said Rep. Franklin. “This bill invests in our military by equipping our troops with cutting edge weapons and equipment, as well as providing a much-deserved 2.7 percent pay increase. My amendments will enhance our military capability by providing necessary congressional oversight on the botched exit from Afghanistan and address several DOD cybersecurity and information technology challenges. The House Armed Services Committee has a long tradition of working together to provide for our national defense, and I thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Rogers for their leadership. I’m confident this bill will continue our superior military edge for years to come, and I look forward to its eventual passage on the House floor.”

BACKGROUND

Franklin Amendments included in the 2022 NDAA are as follows:

• The creation of a grant program to assist U.S. businesses operating in the artificial intelligence space with the high costs of participating in standards development, including conducting relevant research, developing requisite skills and expertise, preparing standards proposals, and attending technical standards-setting meetings. Rep. Franklin initially sponsored this amendment as a standalone bill, known as the Leadership in Global Tech Standards Act of 2021.
• An accounting of U.S. air assets left in Afghanistan and those returned to the United States.
• A report regarding the extent to which the Department of Defense shared personal identifiable information of U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and allies with the Taliban during the evacuation of Kabul, Afghanistan.
• A report on options for assisting the government of Ukraine in addressing its integrated air and missile defense gaps.
• Reporting language on the assessed impact of space debris on the National Defense Space Architecture, risk of commercial and military Lower Earth Orbit, and the extent to which the Department of Defense is engaging allies and partners on efforts to develop technologies that reduce space debris.
• Clarification of a requirement on the reporting of U.S. special forces involved in collective self-defense instances while operating abroad.
• A report on the potential for the institution of carsharing services for troops on Department of Defense installations.
• Bill language that would allow for protective DNS for the Department of Defense, thus enhancing network and email security.
• Reporting language on Department of Defense software patching requirements and how they can be improved.