Washington, D.C. –Today, Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02) joined his House colleagues in adopting the conference report to accompany the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 by a veto-proof majority vote of 335 to 78. The report is the product of the NDAA Conference Committee, a select group of House Members and Senators who meet to reconcile differences in the defense bills passed by each chamber of Congress. Rep. Bacon was appointed to the NDAA conference committee for the fourth consecutive year.   

“For sixty consecutive years, Congress has passed the NDAA on a bipartisan basis for one simple reason: that politics must never stand between the American people and the security of the United States,” said Rep. Bacon. “This record of bipartisan unity is unrivaled in our history and a testament to what we can do when we come together to ensure that the needs of the nation are met. As a conferee, I can proudly say this conference report wisely balances the differences between each chamber to produce a bill that truly puts America’s security first.”  

The 2021 NDAA:

• Authorizes $740 billion for national defense including significant investments in critical emerging technology areas like artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and biotechnology.
• Fully funds modernization of the nuclear weapons enterprise to replace aging systems and reverse the dangerous decline in the effectiveness and reliability of America’s nuclear deterrent.
• Continues improvements in military readiness which began in 2018. 
• Authorizes a 3% pay increase and requires actions to improve childcare and support for military families with special needs.
• Directs the Pentagon to establish emergency medical surge partnerships with federal, state, local, universities and private health care providers with selection of the first two candidate locations by March 2021.
• Establishes a national commission to rename federal installations and property named after confederate officers within three years.
• Requires all branches of the armed forces to implement a “Safe to Report” policy applicable to allegations of sexual assault.  
• Establishes requirements for the redeployment of US forces from Germany. 
• Makes improvements to wind energy siting procedures for projects adjacent to military installations.

This year’s NDAA also includes numerous legislative provisions introduced by Rep. Bacon that support Baltic security; strengthen the military professional military education enterprise; restrict the use of Russian fuel for the new Army medical center in Europe; extend the prohibition on RC-135 aircraft retirement; and require the Air Force to assess the possible use of OC-135 aircraft for other Department of Defense missions.  

 “This defense legislation provides our nation and service members the tools necessary to defend the American people and to ensure our future prosperity as a nation,” added Rep. Bacon. “Once again, this year’s NDAA is a win for the country, the state of Nebraska, and our local economy.” 

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