NDAA ENTERS FORMAL CONFERENCE NEGOTIATIONS

ECA Staff | 11/30/2023

The House and Senate have entered Formal conference negotiations as lawmakers work to finish and pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). If today’s conference meeting is successful, it is possible that the final bill could see a vote as early as next year. The NDAA is considered a must-pass bill, as it authorizes all defense activities from pay raises to troops to weapons system procurement.

Democratic and Republican leaders in both chambers of Congress have expressed that passing the NDAA is a top priority for December.

As previously stated, the NDAA is crucial for defense as it controls everything, but it also is crucial to the authorization of energy-related national security programs. The NDAA includes authorizations for NNSA, EM defense cleanup up, and Office of Legacy Management, among others.

The House and Senate passed their respective FY 2024 defense policy bills in July of 2023. The House passed H.R. 2670 on July 14 by 219-210 and the Senate passed S.2226 on July 27 by 86-11 vote, then amended H.R. 2670 with its language to set up a conference. The bills would authorize $886.3 Billion for Defense Programs. The NDAA has passed every year since 1960.

The House NDAA would authorize the following amounts for various energy-related national security programs: $23.8 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); $7.1 billion for defense environmental cleanup; $160 million for nuclear energy; and $196.3 million for the Office of Legacy Management (LM).

The Senate NDAA authorizes $32.4 billion for national security programs within DOE. This includes: $24.1 billion for the activities of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); $7.1 billion for defense environmental cleanup activities; $1.1 billion for the DOE’s other defense activities; $177.7 million for the DOE’s nuclear energy activities. 

ECA will continue to provide updates as the NDAA moves through conference negotiations.