Congressman Jason Crow Secures Wins for Colorado in National Defense Authorization Act

WASHINGTON -- Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06) today voted to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023 on the House floor after helping craft the bill as a member of the House Armed Services Committee. The bill will authorize Department of Defense spending for the coming fiscal year and it includes twenty-three Crow-led priorities that will help position Colorado to lead as the United States confronts unprecedented challenges at home and abroad.

“As a veteran, I know the importance of equipping our military to meet the moment on our greatest national security challenges. I’m proud to have helped write and pass a defense spending bill that meets the moment,” said Congressman Crow. “This comprehensive legislation will help strengthen our supply chains, address the climate crisis, and give our troops a well-deserved pay raise.”

With the aftermath of Vladimir Putin’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine and the growing strategic challenge posed by China, this NDAA equips the Department of Defense (DoD) and US military with the right resources and authorities to meet the greatest threats to the United States and our common defense. It also supports our servicemembers and their families with a 4.6% pay raise for our troops.

The NDAA will now proceed to the Senate for consideration with numerous Crow-led priorities, including:

Supporting Coloradans:

• Space National Guard Establishment Act(Co-led with Rep. Lamborn)
  • Establishes a Space National Guard as a reserve component of the Space Force
  • More than a third of all National Guard members assigned to space missions currently reside in Colorado, and stand ready to support the Space National Guard
• Removing harmful roadblocks to contraception
  • Ensures that everyone enrolled in TRICARE has coverage of contraceptives and abortion care without cost sharing
  • This reform is especially critical after the Supreme Court decimated the legal right to abortion
• Bridging the Gap for New Americans Act (Co-led with Rep. Katko)
  • Helps eliminate barriers to employment facing immigrants and refugees across the country by directing the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to conduct a study on factors that impact employment opportunities for immigrants and refugees with professional credentials from other countries
  • Formerly known as the Improving Opportunities for New Americans Act

Keeping Colorado at the Forefront of Technology Advances

• Funding for the University Consortium for Space Technology (Co-led with Rep. Golden)
  • The bill provides a total of $15 million for University of Colorado's space technology development which supports the Space Force's research and development efforts
  • Crow passed an NDAA amendment last year to establish this consortium, which CU Boulder is well-positioned to take advantage of through its groundbreaking space technology research
• Report on Uses for Supersonic Aircraft for Each Military Service (Co-led with Rep. DesJarlais)
  • Colorado companies are leading the way developing these technologies
• Briefing on Technology Solutions to Counter the Small Unmanned Drone Threat (Co-led with Rep. Whittman)
  • Requires strategy on DoD's efforts to develop critical counter drone technology to address the threat posed by drones and drone swarms
  • Colorado companies are leading the way in the development of these technologies
• Interim Clearance for STEM Students
  • Requires Secretary of Defense to submit a report on the possibility of allowing students working in defense-related STEM fields to be granted interim clearance prior to graduating and entering the job market. This will ease the issues that stem from the 18-24 month clearance backlog and strengthen the defense STEM workforce.

Promoting Climate Security and Securing Military Resilience:

• Authorizes the Colorado National Guard’s FireGuard program through 2026
  • Helping CO Air National Guard at Buckley Space Force Base spot wildfires so local authorities can contain them before they devastate our communities
• Sustainable Aviation Fuel Pilot Program
  • Establishes a pilot program on the use of sustainable aviation fuel with the Department of Defense.
  • Buckley Space Force Base and the Denver International Airport are both uniquely suited for this program
• DOD Climate Security Assistance
  • Adds assistance on climate resilience and certain ecological security issues to the scope of the DoD Security Cooperation Program.
• NATOClimate Security Assistance 
  • Allows US contributions for NATO investment to include climate resilience of military facilities and installations.

Ensuring Accountability in the Military:

• Ukraine Response Oversight
  • Requires that DoD Office of Inspector General carry out comprehensive oversight and conduct reviews, audits, investigations, and inspections of activities conducted by DoD in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including military assistance provided to Ukraine by DoD.
• DoD Local National Database 
  • Requires the Secretary of Defense to establish and maintain a database listing all local nationals working for the United States within a theater of combat operations, which builds on lessons learned from the 20 years of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan so we can better support our partners who risk their lives to work for the United States. 
• Transparency on Military Harm to Foreign Civilians
  • Includes two Crow-led bills to improve transparency, accountability and oversight of DoD military activities that result in civilian harm during overseas military operations.

###