Congressman Jason Crow Secures Wins for Colorado in National Defense Authorization Act

Press Release

Congressman Jason Crow (CO-06) late last night helped pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023 out of the House Armed Services Committee. The bill will authorize Department of Defense spending for the coming fiscal year and it includes twenty-one Crow-led priorities that will help position Colorado to lead as the United States confronts unprecedented challenges at home and abroad.

"When I was Private Crow I had to live with decisions made in Washington. I'll never forget what that felt like. That's why I take the responsibility of helping make defense policy very seriously," said Congressman Jason Crow.

"I'm proud to have secured important wins for our servicemembers and our state -- providing a well-deserved pay raise for our troops, ensuring Coloradans remain on the frontier of technology and research, advancing US climate leadership, and increasing accountability in the military. This defense bill will make us safer, stronger, and ensure we are doing right by our men and women in uniform," he continued.

With the aftermath of Vladimir Putin's unlawful invasion of Ukraine and the growing strategic challenge posed by China, this NDAA equips the Department of Defense (DoD) and US military with the right resources and authorities to meet the greatest threats to the United States and our common defense. It also supports our servicemembers and their families with a 4.6% pay raise for our troops.

The NDAA will proceed to a vote on the House floor with numerous Crow-led priorities, including:

Supporting Colorado Servicemembers:

Establishing a Space National Guard (Co-led with Rep. Lamborn)
Passing the Space National Guard Establishment Act Establishes a Space National Guard as a reserve component of the Space Force
More than a third of all National Guard members assigned to space missions currently reside in Colorado, and stand ready to support the Space National Guard
Removing harmful roadblocks to contraception
Ensures that everyone enrolled in TRICARE has coverage of contraceptives and abortion care without cost sharing
This reform is especially critical with the Supreme Court poised to decimate the legal right to abortion
Keeping Colorado at the Forefront of Technology Advances

Funding for the University Consortium for Space Technology (Co-led with Rep. Golden)
The bill provides a total of $15 million for University of Colorado's space technology development which supports the Space Force's research and development efforts
Crow passed an NDAA amendment last year to establish this consortium, which CU Boulder is well-positioned to take advantage of through its groundbreaking space technology research
Report on Uses for Supersonic Aircraft for Each Military Service (Co-led with Rep. DesJarlais)
Colorado companies are leading the way developing these technologies
Briefing on Technology Solutions to Counter the Small Unmanned Drone Threat (Co-led with Rep. Whittman)
Requires strategy on DoD's efforts to develop critical counter drone technology to address the threat posed by drones and drone swarms
Colorado companies are leading the way in the development of these technologies
Interim Clearance for STEM Students
Requires Secretary of Defense to submit a report on the possibility of allowing students working in defense-related STEM fields to be granted interim clearance prior to graduating and entering the job market. This will ease the issues that stem from the 18-24 month clearance backlog and strengthen the defense STEM workforce.
Promoting Climate Security and Securing Military Resilience:

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Pilot Program
Establishes a pilot program on the use of sustainable aviation fuel with the Department of Defense.
Buckley Space Force Base and the Denver International Airport are both uniquely suited for this program
DOD Climate Security Assistance
Adds assistance on climate resilience and certain ecological security issues to the scope of the DoD Security Cooperation Program.
NATOClimate Security Assistance
Allows US contributions for NATO investment to include climate resilience of military facilities and installations.

Ensuring Accountability in the Military:

Ukraine Response Oversight
Requires that DoD Office of Inspector General carry out comprehensive oversight and conduct reviews, audits, investigations, and inspections of activities conducted by DoD in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including military assistance provided to Ukraine by DoD.
DoD Local National Database
Requires the Secretary of Defense to establish and maintain a database listing all local nationals working for the United States within a theater of combat operations, which builds on lessons learned from the 20 years of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan so we can better support our partners who risk their lives to work for the United States.
Transparency on Military Harm to Foreign Civilians
Includes two Crow-led bills to improve transparency, accountability and oversight of DoD military activities that result in civilian harm during overseas military operations.

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