Rep. Adam Smith, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee released a summary of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 last week.
The proposal authorizes $732 billion in discretionary national defense spending, including $69 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO).
Smith calls for the creation of the Pandemic Preparedness and Resilience National Security Fund. The $1 billion program would “proactively increase the country’s ability to prepare for and respond to future pandemics.”
The NDAA would also authorize $150 million to support research to study and create PFAS remediation and disposal technologies. Additionally, $1.5 billion would go towards PFAS response and cleanup at current and former military installations.
With regards to limiting encroachment on military installations, the NDAA authorizes a 25-year renewal of Department of Interior lands for military use at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada; Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada; Naval Air Facility El Centro, California; and White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
Furthermore, the bill would authorize $100 million for the Readiness Environmental Protection Initiative (REPI) to protect national resources and stave off encroachment by development at U.S. military installations.
The House Armed Services Committee will consider the Chairman’s proposal on Wednesday, July 1, beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET.
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