The Senate’s version of fiscal 2019 National Defense Authorization Act includes language that would establish additional cross-functional teams to help the Defense Department address specific organizational challenges, Federal News Radio reported Tuesday.The provision calls for the formation of CFTs that will focus on electronic warfare, security clearances and lethality of close-combat units.
A February 2018 report by the Government Accountability Office stated that DoD created only one CFT to help address the department’s backlog of security clearance applications, as required by the FY 2017 NDAA.
The upper chamber wants DoD to form a CFT consisting of representatives from different defense and military groups to develop EW methods.
Senators also urged the department to update business policies and procedures before it transfers background check investigation responsibilities to the Defense Security Service.
The bill would also order Defense Secretary James Mattis to designate an existing task force on close-combat lethality as a CFT.
The Senate-approved FY 2019 NDAA allocates $639 billion in defense base budget and $69 billion in additional war spending.
