A joint House-Senate conference committee has unveiled a compromise bill to authorize $692 billion in fiscal 2018 Defense Department spending, with $626 billion for base requirements and $66 billion for the overseas contingency operations account, Defense News reported Wednesday.The report said the conference plan would top a Budget Control Act spending limit for FY 2018 defense budget by nearly $85 billion.
The compromise National Defense Authorization Act calls for a 2.4 percent military pay raise and the addition of more than 20,000 active-duty and reserve troops to the current U.S. military end strength.
Federal News Radio reported Wednesday the bill would require DoD to examine the potential implications of a proposal to establish a “Space Corps,” as well as to identify methods to simplify the department’s space-related acquisition process.
The bill also contains a procurement reform measure that seeks to encourage the department to use online marketplace platforms to buy commercial off-the-shelf technology products, the station noted.
Congress still needs to review and approve the compromise NDAA in coming weeks before lawmakers submit the bill to the White House for the president’s signature.
