Congressman Blake Moore’s Provisions Included in Defense Authorization Bill
WASHINGTON – Early this morning, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022, and many of Congressman Blake Moore’s sponsored provisions were successfully included in the passed legislation.
“Since my first day in office, we have been working with Hill Air Force Base, military families, and the Utah defense community to ensure that Utah’s priorities are represented in the National Defense Authorization Act,” said Congressman Moore. “Even while in the minority, Republicans succeeded in reversing President Biden’s harmful defense spending cuts, maintaining a competitive edge over China, enhancing depot facility modernization efforts, demanding accountability on Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal, and funding additional procurement to ensure military readiness. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get the NDAA to the House Floor so we can provide servicemembers with policies that are worthy of their immense sacrifices.”
“I commend Congressman Moore’s tremendous work and leadership on the Armed Services Committee,” said Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee Mike Rogers (R-AL). “His contributions to this year’s NDAA will strengthen our national security, improve the lives of our servicemembers and their families, and ensure accountability from the Biden administration on the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.”
Many of Congressman Moore’s sponsored provisions were included in the National Defense Authorization Act including, but not limited to, the following:
- Ground Based Strategic Deterrent: Fully funds the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent, avoiding harmful delays to nuclear modernization and providing Hill Air Force Base the ability to maintain a safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent. This program is expected to bring as many as 4,000 new jobs and the construction of six new buildings to Utah’s defense community.
- Assessment of Afghanistan intelligence failure: Requires an after-action report on the effectiveness of the intelligence provided to national security officials on the withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan, including an analysis on how intelligence officials could have improved all-source intelligence gathering and how future military withdrawals in terrorist contexts can avoid the mistakes made in Afghanistan. This provision incorporates language from Congressman Moore’s Afghanistan Accountability Act.
- Improvements in veteran hiring: Expands the repeal of the harmful 180-day waiting period required of retired military members competing for Department of Defense jobs to include those at Major Range and Test Facility Bases. This gives the Utah Test and Training Range and similar DOD facilities the flexibility to hire who they need to fill critical vacancies in support of our national defense.
- Military spouse licensing reciprocity: Requires the Department of Defense to establish a uniform process through which the professional licenses and certifications of military members and their spouses can remain in good standing when forced to relocate due to military orders and obligations. This expands the employment opportunities of military families and is a value add to the local economies surrounding military bases.
- Improved printed circuit board supply chains: Bolsters supply chain resiliency and improves national security by requiring that printed circuit boards used in Department of Defense components are no longer from adversarial countries. This effort reshores manufacturing jobs back to Logan, Utah, and the United States and improves the integrity of military electronic hardware.
- Increased allowance at remote worksites: Directs the Office of Personnel Management to propose a new remote site pay allowance for Dugway Proving Ground employees, providing an equitable remote pay allowance, which has been unchanged since 1971 at a rate of $10 per day. Adjusted for inflation, these hardworking employees should be receiving $65.10 per day for their contributions to our military readiness.
- Defense community support authority: Expands opportunities for neighboring communities to assist military installations with the construction, management, and operation of a facility on or near bases, often at cheaper cost on an accelerate timeline. This language helps military bases improve aging infrastructure by facilitating community assistance that increases quality of life and workforce morale.
Congressman Moore is the sole representative for Hill Air Force Base and Utah’s defense community on the House Armed Services Committee.
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