National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023
Floor Speech
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Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1224, I call up the bill (H.R. 7900) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2023 for military activities of the Department of Defense and for military construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
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Mr. SMITH of Washington. 7900.
Mr. Speaker, we have before us today the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. As most people know, we have passed the National Defense Authorization Act every year for 62 straight years, and I urge Members to do it again this year.
I will start by thanking Ranking Member Rogers and the minority. We have once again managed to work together in a bipartisan fashion to craft this bill in committee during a roughly 16-, 16\1/2\-hour markup in which we entertained roughly a thousand amendments and a whole bunch of different ideas and proposals to create this product.
I think the legislative process is enormously important. We continue it here with 1,200 amendments submitted to the Rules Committee, 650, roughly, in order. I am told that is actually a new record for a piece of House legislation, a record we weren't necessarily looking to set, but it does reflect the participation in this process of this entire body of an incredibly important piece of legislation, and we can't lose track of that fact.
This is the bill that enables the Congress to exercise oversight of the Pentagon. In this year's budget, we authorize $850 billion. It is usually somewhere, by the time we are done, around a 3,000-page bill.
It is an incredibly important piece of legislation that gives us the power and the ability to exercise that important oversight authority of the Pentagon and Department of Defense.
We have done a lot of good work in this year's bill. I think the focus, as we go forward, is obviously the men and women who serve and making sure that they have the tools they need to do the jobs that we have given them to do.
We could have a robust debate about what those jobs should be, but I think we can all agree that once that debate is settled and the tasks are assigned, the men and women who serve must have the tools and the support from us that they need to do that job.
This year, it has been particularly challenging, given the rate of inflation. Our bill reflects that, giving some additional support to our servicemembers and their families to deal with housing costs and also additional bonus pay to deal with that inflation. So, we support the servicemen and -women through our financial support and through making sure that their needs are met.
The other big issue is making sure that the Pentagon is spending the money wisely. As many of you have heard, I have argued frequently that the amount of money is not as important as how we spend it. Over the course of the last couple of decades, we have struggled with the number of programs that have been over budget and underperforming. We have, over the course of the last 6 years, put in place critical acquisition reform and procurement reform to put the Pentagon in a better position to take advantage of innovative new technologies and, crucially, competition to make sure that we get a better product.
We are beginning to see the fruits of that success. In programs like the B-21 and the GBSD, whatever one thinks of those programs, they are on time, on budget, and actually meeting their requirements, which is a significant change. That is due, in large part, to a lot of the legislation that we passed here.
I think we have put together an excellent product. In particular, I thank my staff and also the Rules Committee staff. The Rules Committee staff had to sift through those 1,200 amendments, give them the attention that they are due, and make sure that the process worked. They did an amazing job working with our staff.
I thank my staff on the Armed Services Committee, both on the Republican side and the Democratic side, and our bipartisan staff for doing an outstanding job.
I recognize one of our staff members not able to be with us today who is normally here. Sharma gave birth to her second child yesterday. She wishes she were here, but she is also, I think, pretty happy where she is. So, I want to pass along that congratulations.
House of Representatives, Committee on Agriculture, Washington, DC, June 30, 2022. Hon. Adam Smith, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Smith: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. There are certain provisions in the legislation that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Agriculture.
In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed expeditiously to floor consideration of this important bill, I am willing to waive this committee's right to sequential referral. I do so with the understanding that by waiving consideration of the bill, the Committee on Agriculture does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill that fall within its Rule X jurisdiction. I request that you urge the Speaker to name members of this committee to any conference committee that is named to consider such provisions.
Please place this letter into the committee report on H.R. 7900 and into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our respective committees. Sincerely, David Scott, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Armed Services, Washington, DC, June 30, 2022. Hon. David Scott, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Scott: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. I agree that the Committee on Agriculture has valid jurisdictional claims to certain provisions in this important legislation, and I am most appreciative of your decision not to request a referral in the interest of expediting consideration of the bill. I agree that by foregoing a sequential referral, the Committee on Agriculture is not waiving its jurisdiction. Further, this exchange of letters will be included in the committee report on the bill. Sincerely, Adam Smith, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Appropriations, Washington, DC, June 28, 2022. Hon. Adam Smith, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, Washington, DC
Dear Chairman Smith: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. There are certain provisions in the legislation that fall within the rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Appropriations.
In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed expeditiously to floor consideration of this important bill. I am willing to waive this committee's right to sequential referral. I do so with the understanding that by waiving consideration of the bill, the Committee on Appropriations does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill which fall within its rule X jurisdiction. I request that you urge the Speaker to name members of this Committee to any conference committee which is named to consider such provisions.
Please place this letter into the committee report on H.R. 7900 and into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our respective committees. Sincerly, Rosa L. DeLauro, Chair. ____ Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, June 30, 2022. Hon. Rosa L. DeLauro, Chair, Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chair DeLauro: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. I agree that the Committee on Appropriations has valid jurisdictional claims to certain provisions in this important legislation, and I am most appreciative of your decision not to request a referral in the interest of expediting consideration of the bill. I agree that by foregoing a sequential referral, the Committee on Appropriations is not waiving its jurisdiction. Further, this exchange of letters will be included in the committee report on the bill. Sincerely, Adam Smith, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on the Budget, Washington, DC, June 27, 2022. Hon. Adam Smith, Chair, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chair Smith: I write to confirm our mutual understanding regarding H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. H.R. 7900 contains provisions that fall within the rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on the Budget. However, the committee agrees to waive formal consideration of the bill.
The Committee on the Budget takes this action with the mutual understanding that we do not waive any jurisdiction over the subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and the committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the bill or similar legislation moves forward so that we may address any remaining issues within our jurisdiction. The committee also reserves the right to seek appointment to any House-Senate conference convened on this legislation or similar legislation and requests your support if such a request is made.
Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming this understanding, and I ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. I look forward to continuing to work with you as this measure moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, John Yarmuth, Chairman. ____ Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, June 30, 2022. Hon. John Yarmuth, Chairman, Committee on the Budget, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Yarmuth: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. I agree that the Committee on the Budget has valid jurisdictional claims to certain provisions in this important legislation, and I am most appreciative of your decision not to request a referral in the interest of expediting consideration of the bill. I agree that by foregoing a sequential referral, the Committee on the Budget is not waiving its jurisdiction. Further, this exchange of letters will be included in the committee report on the bill. Sincerely, Adam Smith, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Education and Labor, Washington, DC, June 28, 2022. Hon. Adam Smith, Chair, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Chair Smith: I write concerning H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. There are certain provisions in the legislation that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and Labor.
In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed expeditiously to floor consideration of this important bill, I am willing to waive this committee's right to sequential referral. I do so with the understanding that by waiving consideration of the bill, the Committee on Education and Labor does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill which fall within its Rule X jurisdiction. I request that you urge the Speaker to name members of the Education and Labor Committee to any conference committee which is named to consider such provisions.
Please place this letter into the committee report on H.R. 7900 and into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our respective committees. Sincerely, Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Armed Services, Washington, DC, June 30, 2022. Hon. Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott, Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.
Dear Chairman Scott: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. I agree that the Committee on Education and Labor has valid jurisdictional claims to certain provisions in this important legislation, and I am most appreciative of your decision not to request a referral in the interest of expediting consideration of the bill. I agree that by foregoing a sequential referral, the Committee on Education and Labor is not waiving its jurisdiction. Further, this exchange of letters will be included in the committee report on the bill. Sincerely, Adam Smith, Chairman. ____ House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC, June 28, 2022. Hon. Adam Smith, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Smith: I am writing to you concerning H.R. 7900, the ``National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.'' There are certain provisions in the legislation that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
In the interest of permitting your committee to proceed expeditiously to floor consideration of this important bill, I am willing to waive this committee's right to sequential referral. I do so with the understanding that by waiving consideration of the bill, the Committee on Energy and Commerce does not waive any future jurisdictional claim over the subject matters contained in the bill which fall within its Rule X jurisdiction. I request that you urge the Speaker to name members of this committee to any conference committee which is named to consider such provisions.
Please place this letter into the committee report on H.R. 7900 and into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our respective committees. Sincerely,
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