The Senate Armed Services Committee passed the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act on Friday in a 24-1 vote.
The NDAA, which is now headed to the Senate floor for consideration, seeks to authorize a total of $886.3 billion in fiscal year 2024 funding for national defense.
Within the national defense topline, the measure would authorize $844.3 billion for the Department of Defense and $32.4 billion for national security programs within the Department of Energy.
The proposed legislation would authorize increased funding for the LGM-35A Sentinel program, Hypersonic Targets and Countermeasures Program and Fleet Ballistic Missile Strategic Weapon System; support requested funding for the purchase of naval vessels, combat aircraft, armored vehicles, weapon systems and munitions; and authorize $1.9 billion to fully fund the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship LPD-33.
The NDAA is meant to authorize the U.S. Navy to enter into one or more contracts for the multiyear procurement of the next block of 10 Virginia-class submarines and establish the joint program of the DOD and the National Nuclear Security Administration to build a nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile.
The bill “addresses a broad range of pressing issues, from strategic competition with China and Russia, to disruptive technologies like hypersonics, AI, and quantum computing, to modernizing our ships, aircraft, and combat vehicles,” said Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., chairman of SASC.
On Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee voted 34-24 to approve a fiscal year 2024 bill that would fund the agencies and programs within the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community.
