Reed and Inhofe Bring FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act to Senate Floor

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Ranking Member Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) today opened deliberation on the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).  The annual bill authorizes U.S. Department of Defense spending levels and sets overarching military policy to equip, supply, and train our troops and provide for military families.  The Senators offered a substitute amendment to H.R. 7900, the House-passed NDAA, on the Senate floor.

The substitute amendment, S.A. 5499, strikes and replaces the text of H.R. 7900 with the text of the S. 4543, the SASC-passed NDAA, as modified with 75 amendments from other Senators and committees.  This version of the NDAA authorizes $817 billion for the Department of Defense (DOD) and $29 billion for national security programs within the Department of Energy (DOE).  It authorizes critical investments in military technology, strengthens capabilities, delivers a 4.6 percent pay raise to America's service members, and ensures they have the support, equipment, and training they need.

Senators Reed and Inhofe commented: “This is an important step forward for the fiscal year 2023 NDAA.  We worked together and with our colleagues to advance a strong, bipartisan bill that strengthens and modernizes our military, promotes peace through strength and deterrence, and includes critical reforms to support our service personnel and their families as they deserve.  This legislation demonstrates that we are united in ensuring support for the people of Ukraine as they defend their country from Putin’s illegal invasion.  We remain committed to upholding our tradition of robust, careful deliberation and strong, bipartisan support to ensure we provide our military with the tools and capabilities needed to combat threats and safeguard our nation.”

NDAA highlights include: 

• Increases the topline defense authorization level by $45 billion to address the effects of global inflation and accelerate implementation of the National Defense Strategy. This includes authorizing additional security assistance to Ukraine; accelerating the production of certain munitions; providing additional resources for service and combatant command requirements; and authorizing funding for additional military construction projects and facilities maintenance.
• Provides for funding to support a 4.6 percent pay raise for both military servicemembers and the DOD civilian workforce.
• Extends and modifies the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) and authorizes $800 million in fiscal year 2023 to provide security assistance to Ukraine via this authority.
• Fully authorizes the European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) and the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI).
• Authorizes $1 billion for the National Defense Stockpile to acquire strategic and critical minerals currently in short supply.
• Increases funding for procurement of combat aircraft, naval surface and undersea vessels, armored fighting vehicles, munitions, long-range fires, and short-range fires.
• Authorizes additional funding to address inflation and meet additional needs in recruiting and retention.
• Authorizes significant funding increases for game-changing technologies like microelectronics, hypersonic weapons, and low-cost unmanned aircraft.
• Authorizes significant funding increases to support U.S. Cyber Command’s (CYBERCOM) Hunt Forward Operations and artificial intelligence capabilities.
• Directs a biennial, unclassified report through the 2032 election cycle on CYBERCOM's efforts to ensure election security and counter election threats.
• Enhances deterrence by recapitalizing and modernizing the U.S. nuclear triad; ensuring the safety, security, and reliability of our nuclear stockpile, delivery systems, and infrastructure; increasing capacity in theater and homeland missile defense; and strengthening nonproliferation programs.

The substitute offered by Senators Reed and Inhofe was modified with a package of 75 amendments from other Senators and committees.

The full text of the substitute amendment will be published on Congress.gov this week. 

Read Senator Reed’s FY23 NDAA floor statement.

Read Senator Inhofe's FY23 NDAA statement.

The full text of the SASC-passed NDAA can be viewed here.

Click here for an executive summary of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.