Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the top Republican on the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, today voted in favor of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, which passed the Senate by a vote of 83-11.
This annual legislation authorizes defense spending and sets the policies and priorities for our military. The bill contains many provisions Sen. Fischer successfully fought to include. In total, the bill supports $857.9 billion in FY 23 funding for national security.
“The U.S. needs to be prepared to respond to the changing threat environment of the 21st century. I was proud to help spearhead this year’s NDAA, which supportskey military equities in Nebraska, secures a pay raise for our troops, modernizes our aging nuclear deterrent, and bolsters our national security. This bill demonstrates there is still bipartisan support for providing our military with the resources they need to keep the American people safe,” said Senator Fischer.
Below is a comprehensive list of highlights from the FY 23 NDAA:
Topline:
- Supports a 4.6% increase in pay levels for service members.
- Authorizes defense spending $45 billion above President Biden’s request to ensure our service members have the resources they need in a time of growing threats and historic inflation.
- Requires the Dept. of Defense to fully rescind the COVID vaccine mandate 30 days after enactment.
Support for Nebraska Equities:
Senator Fischer wrote and secured many provisions in the FY 23 NDAA to support Nebraska military equities, including facilities, missions, and platforms. She also fought to enhance defense-related partnerships and programs that are important to the state.
- Ensures the completion of disaster recovery efforts at Offutt Air Force Base following the 2019 floods. Fully funds the U.S. Air Force’s request for $235 million in military construction funding, which is needed to continue rebuilding all the destroyed Offutt facilities.
- Authorizes an additional $39.4 million for upgrades to the 55th Wing’s RC-135 fleet’s navigation systems.
- Authorizes $20 million for the Rapid Emerging Architecture Collaboration Hub (REACH) public-private partnership to accelerate the design of the next generation of nuclear command, control and communications (NC3) architecture.
- Supports the Nebraska Air National Guard’s 170th Group in their vital partnership with the 55th Wing.
Strategic Forces Provisions
As the top Republican on the Strategic Forces subcommittee, Senator Fischer successfully secured wins in this legislation that strengthen America’s nuclear deterrent. This includes provisions to overturn decisions by the Biden administration that would have weakened our nuclear deterrence at a time of increasing global instability.
- Continues funding for the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SCLM) program.
- The Biden administration’s misguided budget proposal attempted to cancel the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM) program, a key enhancement to America’s nuclear triad.
- Senator Fischer championed language that authorizes $25 million for the Dept. of Defense and $20 million for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to continue research and development of a nuclear-capable sea-launched cruise missile system.
- Prevents the retirement of the B83 nuclear bomb, pending a study by the Dept. of Defense on the development of a replacement capability.
- The Biden administration’s budget proposal attempted to retire the B83 – a thermonuclear gravity bomb designed to defeat hard and deeply buried targets.
- Authorizes full funding for the continued modernization of our nuclear triad and supports Nuclear Command, Control and Communications (NC3) architecture.
- Increases funding authorized for the laboratory and production infrastructure of theNNSA, which maintains the nation’s nuclear weapons.
- Retains STRATCOM’s role in electromagnetic spectrum operations.
- Authorizes provisions to streamline bureaucracy and strengthen oversight of the deployment of missile defense systems to Guam and the next generation intercontinental ballistic missile known as Sentinel.
- Makes significant, additional investments related to the Strategic Forces Subcommittee’s jurisdiction including:
- $500 million for the NNSA’s effort to re-establish the ability to produce plutonium pits, a critical capability for the nation’s continued ability to field a nuclear deterrent.
- $293 million to accelerate the Missile Defense Agency’s development of the Glide-Phase Interceptor to defend against growing hypersonic threats.
- $252 million for increased Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) interceptor production.
Additional National Security Provisions
Senator Fischer successfully included several other provisions related to her national security priorities in the FY 23 NDAA.
- Provides multi-year procurement authority for certain munitions and authorizes $2.7 billion for additional munitions production and capacity expansion.
- For months, Senator Fischer has highlighted how underinvestment in munitions production capacity impacts America’s ability to meet the threats of the 21st century.
- Prohibits U.S. cooperation with the Russian military for the next five years and the sharing of missile defense information with Russia indefinitely.
- As Russia continues to wage a war of aggression against Ukraine, Senator Fischer has called for increased measures to isolate Russia and hold Putin accountable.
- Prohibits the Dept. of Defense from participating in entertainment projects with ties to the Chinese government.
- The Chinese Communist Party often looks to leverage its economic ties to Hollywood to pre-emptively censor “threatening” content and promote pro-China propaganda.
- Requires the Dept. of Defense to produce a classified version and an unclassified version of the National Defense Strategy (NDS) in response to the Biden administration’s decision to not publicly release this document.