Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) voted to pass H.R. 4350, the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This bipartisan bill, which authorizes $768 billion in discretionary funding for the U.S. Department of Defense, honors our values, strengthens our security, and advances U.S. leadership in the world. Among other provisions, the bill includes significant quality of life improvements for service members and their families and makes key investments in innovation and emerging technologies. The NDAA passed in the House of Representatives today by a vote of 316-113.

“One of my most solemn responsibilities as a Member of Congress is to ensure that our brave men and women in uniform have the resources they need to defend our nation from threats both foreign and domestic,” said Rep. Sewell. “I’m particularly proud that this year’s National Defense Authorization Act strengthens support for our troops with a nearly 3% pay raise, all while securing the U.S. against pressing national security threats from cyber-attacks, climate change, extremism, and our global competitors.”

The FY2022 NDAA:

• Improves the Quality of Life for Service Members and their Families - The bill authorizes support for a 2.7% pay increase for service members and increases the allowable parental leave for primary and secondary caregivers in military families. It makes child care more accessible for service members by expanding the in-home child care pilot program and providing financial assistance for in-home child care. The bill also makes historic changes to better combat sexual assault in the military, including removing the Commander from decisions related to the prosecution of sexual assault crimes and instead creating an Office of Special Victim Prosecutor to prosecute these crimes. In addition, it includes improvements in military health care, including making it easier to make mental health appointments.
• Makes Historic Investments in Innovation and Emerging Technologies - The bill strengthens the nation’s efforts to defend democratic values in the face of challenges from authoritarian states around the world and modernize our national security institutions and processes to reinvigorate our partnerships and alliances. For example, the bill includes an historic 36% increase in defense-wide basic and applied research and development, and significant increases in academic partnerships.
• Supports HBCU and Minority-Serving Institutions - The bill requires a plan for the creation of a Minority Institute for Defense Research and requires the head of each agency that awards contracts to the Department of Defense Federally Funded Research and Development Centers or to University Affiliated Research Centers to include a requirement to subcontract with Minority Institutions for at least 5 percent of the contract award to develop those Minority Institutions’ capacity to address the Defense Department’s research and development needs.
• Recognizes the Urgency of the Climate Crisis - The bill authorizes combatant commander initiative funds to be used for the purpose of enhancing extreme weather resilience of infrastructure. It also requires the Department of Defense to incorporate consideration of the risks of extreme weather into certain existing Department of Defense strategies and planning documents. 
• Addresses the Scourge of Extremism - The bill establishes an Office of Countering Extremism responsible for training and education about extremist activities; data collection and analysis; and countering extremism within the Department of Defense. It directs the Comptroller General of the United States to perform a review of the prevalence of extremist affiliations among members of the Armed Services and removes waiver authority to prevent enlistment of an individual who has been convicted of a felony hate crime. Finally, it directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a briefing on all studies regarding efforts of extremist organizations to recruit members of the armed forces; and a strategy to develop and implement training to prevent such recruitment efforts.
• Improves Cyberspace Capabilities - The bill authorizes nearly $1 billion in additional cybersecurity investments in people, programs, and technologies. It requires the Secretary of Defense to create a software development and acquisition cadre to assist with developing and acquiring software by providing expert advice, assistance, and resources.
• Addresses the Situation in Afghanistan - The bill expresses the sense of Congress about the importance of the Afghan Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) program and honoring our commitments to those Afghan partners, who at great personal risk, supported the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. It authorizes $500 million for Department of Defense relocation support to SIVs and at-risk Afghans. Finally, it requires the Secretary of Defense to provide in-depth reports and briefings to Congress, providing critical information on the U.S. ability to counter terrorism in Afghanistan, accountability on the military equipment left in the country, and the plan to rescue American citizens and Afghan allies who remain in the country, ensuring transparency and ongoing oversight of the security situation in Afghanistan.

The NDAA for FY2022 can be found here.