Rules Report for HR 8070 Published – FY 2025 NDAA

Since I published last night’s post on amendments to HR 8070, the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, the House Rules Committee has published their Committee Print of their report on the rule (H Res 1287) for the consideration of HR 8070. This removes my concern about starting debate today on that bill. Below is the revised list of amendments of potential interest here with the amendment numbers that will be used in that debate. I have also added two amendments on uncrewed aircraft systems.

Cybersecurity Related Amendments

102. Panetta (CA), Bacon (NE), Trone (MD), Wagner (MO), Rodgers (WA), Schneider (IL): Creates a foreign military officer subject matter expert exchange program with key Middle East partners in areas such as artificial intelligence, military doctrine and spending, cyber resiliency, counterterrorism, and more. (10 minutes),

124. Green (TN): Mandates that the Department of Defense produce a report to Congress on the feasibility of furnishing the national guard of every state a cyber unit to ensure the state has the ability to quickly respond to cyber attacks. (10 minutes),

248. Joyce (OH): Authorizes the “Project Spectrum” program within the Office of Small Business Programs of the Department of Defense to provide Department of Defense suppliers that are small or medium businesses, through an online platform, digital resources and services that increase awareness about cybersecurity risks and help such entities to comply with the cybersecurity requirements of the defense acquisition system. (10 minutes), and

275. Banks (IN): Requires the Secretary of Defense to provide a plan for the growth of the Hacking for Defense program. (10 minutes).

Space Related Amendments

114. Gottheimer (NJ), Titus (NV), Moskowitz (FL): Expresses support for joint U.S.-Israel cooperation in the space arena between NASA and the Israel Space Agency, including joint U.S. Air Force and the Israeli Air Force’s newly created Space Force in areas of research, development, test, and evaluation. (10 minutes),

141. Himes (CT), Crawford (AR), Bergman (MI): Expresses the sense of Congress the importance of comprehensive cislunar Space Domain Awareness capabilities and the need to ensure the safety of flight of civil and commercial missions in cislunar space. Directs the Chief of Space Operations to deliver a report on three things: requirements for cislunar, the department’s plan for researching and developing technologies for cislunar, and how the department coordinates with the Cislunar Technology Strategy Interagency Working Group regarding the progress made on the objectives laid out in the November 2022 National Cislunar Science and Technology Strategy. (10 minutes),

262. Ivey (MD): Directs the GAO to study, and issue a report on, the potential threats to US interests posed by Iran, China, Russia, and other adversarial States through the antagonistic use of extraterrestrial satellites for combat, incapacitation of other satellites, cybersecurity intrusions, debilitation of critical infrastructure, and other aggressive purposes. (10 minutes),

274. Pettersen (CO), Crow (CO): Expresses a Sense of Congress that the Space Force continue its commitment to accelerating the development of very low earth orbit (VLEO) space capabilities. (10 minutes), and

280. Donalds (FL): Directs the U.S. Space Force to submit a report pertaining to its current and future potential use of nuclear thermal propulsion space vehicles and nuclear electric propulsion space vehicles, and how these nuclear-powered space vehicles can bolster America's national security. (10 minutes).

Vehicle Technology Related Amendments

239. Buchanan (FL): Requires the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study to assess ways unmanned vehicles can reduce overall operating expenses and costs at the Department of Defense. (10 minutes),

279. Walberg (MI), Dingell (MI): Requires the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study on the national security risks of highly automated vehicles associated with foreign adversary countries operating or testing in the United States. (10 minutes), and

344. Bergman (MI): Authorizes $10 million for Fuel Cell Multi-Modular Use (FC-MMU) utilizing hydrogen in FY25. (10 minutes).

UAS Related Amendments

278. Donalds (FL): Adds a Sense of Congress that Congress encourages the U.S. Armed Forces to utilize innovative technologies, such as artificial intelligence, quantum, advanced air mobility, and counter-uas, to ultimately defend the national security of the United States. (10 minutes), and

328. Gottheimer (NJ), Tenney (NY), Moskowitz (FL): Requires the Secretary of Defense to report on the status of U.S.-Israel cooperation on efforts to counter threats by Iran in the form of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), including loitering munitions, otherwise known as “suicide” and “kamikaze” drones. (10 minutes).