WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), released the below statement upon the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passing the House of Representatives last night. The NDAA sets Department of Defense (DOD) policies and authorizes funding levels for defense programs.

“While this certainly isn’t a perfect bill, I believe we were able to accomplish many goals in this year’s NDAA important to Georgia, Georgia’s Eighth District, and the nation,” said Rep. Scott. “I will continue to fight for our men and women in uniform and the resources they need to complete their important missions that keep our country safe and accomplish our objectives in theaters around the world. As this bill heads towards a Conference Committee to be reconciled with its Senate companion, I will continue to press for policies that maintain our readiness and ensure we are investing in the platforms and systems of the future.”

Highlights of the legislation include providing a 2.7% pay raise for our troops, addressing the strategic challenges posed by Communist China, and continuing U.S. military support to our partners in Iraq and Syria to fight ISIS.

Rep. Scott had twenty-eight provisions included in the final legislation that passed the House, including three that were included on the House Floor before the final vote. More information on his provisions can be found below.

PROVIDING FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS AT ROBINS AND MOODY:

The NDAA funds upgrades for the E–8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), a joint Air Force and Army program that provides airborne surveillance, intelligence, and command and control to our military through on-board radar and computer subsystems equipment that gathers and distributes detailed battlefield information. Combatant commanders utilize the JSTARS fleet around the world, and it is based at Robins Air Force Base (AFB) in Warner Robins, GA.

This bill also provides funding to support the future missions to be hosted at Robins. It authorizes $179 million for continued research and development of the Air Force Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS). ABMS will be a next-generation system-of-systems integrating battlefield surveillance information and providing commanders better situational awareness in combat. Also included is $125M of investment funding for Robin’s future squadron of E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) aircraft. The BACN aircraft will execute a mission enabling communications support to the joint force on the modern battlefield. Click here to read more on new missions coming to Robins AFB.

The FY22 NDAA continues funding for the procurement of the new HH-60W, Jolly Green II. The HH-60W fleet will be used by the 41st Rescue Squadron to conduct critical combat search and rescue and personnel recovery operations. The legislation also funds Moody’s A-10 operations and mission. 

Additionally, the bill includes $6 million in military construction funding for Military Housing Privatization Initiative Restructuring at Robins AFB. The bill makes other military construction investments at Fort Gordon, Fort Stewart, Fort Benning, and Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Georgia, including funding for a Cyber Instructional Facility at Fort Gordon and a Special Operations Battalion Headquarters at Fort Benning.

OTHER KEY PROVISIONS:

Other key provisions offered by Rep. Scott include:

• Increasing the cap on minor military construction projects: This amendment would increase the maximum amount authorized for unspecified military construction projects from $6 million to $8 million. It gives greater flexibility to all military installation commanders like the commanding officers of Robins AFB and Moody AFB in Georgia’s Eighth District to fund minor military construction projects without the burdensome approval process.
• Sense of the Congress on the Partnership between the nation of Georgia and the Georgia National Guard: The nation of Georgia is a valued friend of the United States and has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to advancing the mutual interests of both countries, including strong participation in the State Partnership Program between the Georgia National Guard and the Georgian armed forces. The contributions of the Georgian armed forces have been remarkable with members of the Georgia National Guard having fought side-by-side with Georgian soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The bill also included Directive Report Language (DRL), which is a special category of “Items of Special Interest” that are included in the bill. The DOD recognizes that while DRL is not bill language, it carries a similar weight. The DRL provisions authored by Rep. Scott include:

• Air Logistics Complex Capital Equipment Requirements: This DRL recognized the importance of the work performed at the Air Force’s three Air Logistics Complexes and acknowledged concerns about the aging capital equipment at each location to include the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex. This amendment directed the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a report to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees on the capital equipment replacement and/or refurbishment requirements at each of the Air Force Air Logistics Centers.
• Foreign Military Training: This DRL directs the Secretary of Defense to provide the Congressional Committees on Defense a briefing no later than March 1, 2022, on its foreign military flight training in the United States. Foreign military flight training is a key mission at Moody AFB.
• Combat Search and Rescue Helicopter Briefing: The briefing requested of the Air Force will include the bed down plan and timing, manning requirements, training requirements, infrastructure requirements, support equipment, force structure, funding requirements, and recommendations on improving the overall combat effectiveness and readiness of HH-60W and CSAR mission. Moody AFB is home to the 23rd Wing and 347th Rescue Group leadership, which received the Air Force’s first two HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters on November 5, 2020.

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