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Sen. Cramer Secures Amendments to Strengthen NDAA

Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), announced he secured the following amendments in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):

  • To allow the Department of Defense (DoD) to modify contracts to address rising costs due to record-high inflation and supply chain issues.
  • To retain leadership positions at the Space Development Agency (SDA) to ensure continued, high-level management of the agency by leaders from the space industry, leveraging their expertise to keep the U.S. at the forefront of space technologies that deter or defeat our adversaries.
  • To remove the current cap on how many excess planes the DoD can transfer to other federal agencies and allow the transfer of aircraft to states for emergency response and wildfire suppression purposes. Learn more here.

“I’m pleased to see the inclusion of my amendments to strengthen this year’s National Defense Authorization Act. The specific amendment on inflation and contract flexibility better allows the Pentagon to tackle rising costs in the defense supply chain,” said Senator Cramer. “NDAA invests in our national security, our brave service members and their families, and our homeland. It contains funding for North Dakota’s military assets and missions in Minot, Grand Forks, and Cavalier while providing support for our state’s National Guard and the entire North Dakota military community. I look forward to swift passage when the Senate returns in November.”

Support from Colleagues and Stakeholders for Senator Cramer’s Amendments:

“I applaud the inclusion of our bill in this year’s NDAA to increase our ability to put out wildfires more quickly,” said Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA). “This legislation will expand the tools at our disposal by securing excess military aircraft to augment state and federal aerial firefighting fleets. This federal support is necessary to improve suppression efforts and get fires under control quickly, support search and rescue efforts, and keep our communities safe.”

“Inflation is running at more than double the rate anticipated when most contracts were negotiated. With limited tools at their disposal to manage increasing costs and maintain their workforce, many companies, especially small businesses, may choose to leave the defense industrial base entirely. The result would be significant harm to our national security and our ability to surge to meet demand,” said Aerospace Industries Association President and CEO Eric Fanning. “These businesses need relief now and Senator Cramer is leading the charge to ensure contract flexibility with his amendment to the defense bill.

Background:

In September, Senator Cramer and 22 Republican colleagues called on Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to bring the FY 2023 NDAA to the Senate floor for a vote. The U.S. House of Representatives approved its version of the legislation in July, with a broad, bipartisan majority voting in support. The letter invoked the words of George Washington while calling on Leader Schumer to schedule a vote on the NDAA in time for an open Senate amendment process to take place. Among other priorities, the legislation funds military technology, strengthens capabilities, and delivers a 4.6 percent pay raise to America’s service members. Learn more here.

FY23 NDAA Topline Provisions:

The FY23 NDAA – which passed through SASC overwhelmingly with a vote of 23-3 and now awaits action from the full Senate – is a $857.6 billion bill to provide for the national defense of the United States. Specifically, this NDAA:

  • Supports the DoD by increasing the topline authorization to $45 billion above what this administration requested. The increase will begin to fill the gaps created by Biden’s inflation and Putin’s war in Ukraine, while continuing to fund efforts to keep pace with China’s growing military and nuclear capabilities.
  • Strengthens the all-volunteer force thru a 4.6 percent pay raise, increases in impact aid and basic needs allowance thresholds, and additional funding for recruiting and retention efforts effected by inflation.
  • Provides our military services and combatant commanders with the resources needed to deter, and if necessary, defeat adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and violent extremist organizations around the world.
  • 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.

Learn more here.

North Dakota Projects and Priorities:

As the first-ever North Dakotan to serve on an Armed Services committee in Congress, Senator Cramer has used his seat on SASC to secure funding authorization and language for missions both directly and indirectly benefiting North Dakota’s military community. This year’s bill fully funds nuclear modernization efforts, supports efforts to develop increased intelligence capabilities, grows the Space Force, and authorizes multiple North Dakota military projects.

Minot Air Force Base (AFB):

  • Provides $3.6 billion for Sentinel (Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD)) modernization.
    • Since becoming a member of SASC, Senator Cramer has been a vocal supporter of the nation’s nuclear triad and has pushed military leaders at the highest levels to keep GBSD funded and on-time.
  • Provides $770 million for B-52 commercial engine replacement program (CERP) and radar modernization.
  • Provides $39 million for the Nuclear Command, Control & Communication (NC3) program, which will modernize the communications equipment used at Minot AFB.
  • Limits the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) count to no less than 400 total protecting our nuclear deterrent.
  • Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report on the feasibility of Bomber Agile Combat Employment (BACE).

Grand Forks AFB:

  • Space Development Agency (SDA)
    • Directs the Secretary of Defense to review and make a recommendation for SDA to implement middle-tier acquisition authority (MTA) to allow them to continue rapid acquisition.
    • Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to provide a briefing on the transition of SDA to the Space Force and efforts to ensure it can use MTA and hire necessary personnel.

Cavalier Space Force Station and Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System (PARCS):

  • Adds $5 million for PARCS modernization.
  • Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to provide a report on the feasibility of upgrading PARCS, the consequences of not doing so, and the gaps that would result from a failure of the system.

North Dakota Army National Guard and Air National Guard:

  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Pilots Mental Health: Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to study the work-life balance of drone operators and their health and welfare.
  • National Guard Promotion Improvement: Provides for the backdating of effective date of rank for reserve officers in the National Guard due to undue delays in Federal recognition.

Key North Dakota Projects:

  • Antibody Development: Encourages the enhancement of and additional funding for the DoD’s end-to-end antibody development program in light of lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. This applies to the North Dakota company Genovac, which has been critical in advancing antibody discovery.
  • Intranasal Ketamine: Recommends the DoD conduct pre-clinical testing and clinical trials of intranasal ketamine such that results may be used to facilitate FDA approval for acute pain management. This advances work done at numerous North Dakota ketamine treatments clinics.
  • Swift Water Training: Encourages the National Guard to use facilities that provide a safe, realistic environment to train for flood rescues.
  • Authorizes assignment pay or special duty pay for service members stationed in extreme climate locations.

Overall Priorities:

  • Implications of Removing Iran Sanctions: Directs the Defense Intelligence Agency Director and Commander of U.S. Central Command to provide a brief on the extent to which they assess Iran will use sanctions relief from the Iran Nuclear Deal to bolster its support for terrorism, as well as U.S. Central Command’s requirements for defending against better-funded Iranian terrorist proxies.
  • Inflation: Requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report on the impact of inflation at Military Exchanges.
  • Directs the establishment of a cross-functional team to integrate efforts to address national security challenges posed by China.
  • Requires quarterly briefings on the DoD southwest border support mission and the security situation along that border. 
  • Authorizes significant funding increases for game-changing technologies like microelectronics, hypersonic weapons, and low-cost attritable aircraft. 
  • DoD Ethics Statutes: Directs the Secretary of Defense to have a federally funded research and development center conduct a study assessing whether the 4 current DoD-specific statutory ethics requirements have had an impact on the hiring or retention of personnel at the DoD, particularly those with specialized experience or training.
  • Risk Assessment for Unfunded Priorities: Requires an annual risk assessment which allows the services the ability to better articulate the risk they are taking at a certain budget level when they send over their unfunded priorities.
  • Investigating Sexual Harassment Reprisals: Directs an investigation into reprisals made against Marine Corps service members who report sexual harassment.
  • Operation Warp Speed Refunds: Urges the Secretary of the Army to increase the contract ceiling for the work that was done in support of developing the COVID-19 vaccine.

This is the fourth NDAA Senator Cramer has helped craft as a member of SASC. In 2019, he was able to shepherd through the creation of the U.S. Space Force, and in 2020 and 2021, he was able to secure a host of pro-North Dakota provisions in the legislation.