The Senate Armed Services Committee voted 23-3 Wednesday to move the fiscal year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act to the Senate floor for consideration.
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., chairman of the Senate panel, said in a statement published Thursday the FY 2022 NDAA seeks to help the U.S. counter evolving threats and make investments in readiness efforts and “authorizes funding levels and sets policies to equip, supply, and train U.S. forces now and in the future.”
“It provides for military families while strengthening America’s industrial base and the workers who contribute to our national security,” Reed added.
The bill would authorize $740.3 billion in FY 2022 funds for the Department of Defense and a 2.7 percent increase in pay for U.S. troops and civilian workforce at DOD, according to an executive summary of the measure.
The measure includes an increase of more than $1 billion in funds for science and technology initiatives and research in artificial intelligence, 5G, microelectronics, biotechnology and advanced materials and seeks to provide the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) with $500 million in additional funding to advance research in quantum computing and other areas.
The proposed legislation would authorize $268.4 million in additional funding to support cybersecurity efforts across DOD.
Breaking Defense reported the Senate committee added $25 billion to the defense spending bill, reflecting a 3 percent increase from the White House’s proposed defense budget of $715 billion for FY 2022.