National Defense Authorization Act Explained

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is any of a series of United States federal laws specifying the annual budget and expenditures of the U.S. Department of Defense. The first NDAA was passed in 1961.[1] [2] The U.S. Congress oversees the defense budget primarily through two yearly bills: the National Defense Authorization Act and defense appropriations bills. The authorization bill is the jurisdiction of the Senate Armed Services Committee and House Armed Services Committee and determines the agencies responsible for defense, establishes recommended funding levels, and sets the policies under which money will be spent.[3] The appropriations bill provides funds.

The passage of a Defense Authorization Act is often used by Congress to honour a senior congress member or other individual. For example, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 is known as the "Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001" in honor of Representative Floyd D. Spence of South Carolina.[4]

Legislation from 2001 to present

Year Short or popular title Public law Description
2001Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001
2002National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002
2003Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003
2004National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004
2005Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005
2006National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006
2007John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007Formally named after John Warner, a U.S. war veteran, long-term Senator, Senate Armed Services Committee chairman, and Secretary of the Navy from Virginia.
2008National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008
2009Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009"Expresses the sense of Congress that the Honorable Duncan Hunter, Representative from California, has discharged his official duties with integrity and distinction, has served the House of Representatives and the American people selflessly, and deserves the sincere gratitude of Congress and the Nation".[5] Title 8, Subtitle G: Governmentwide Acquisition Improvements, is known as the "Clean Contracting Act",[6] and focused on improvements to government procurement such as limiting the term of non-competitive contracts to one year (section 862) and prohibiting excessive use by contractors of sub-contractors or "tiers of sub-contractors" (section 866).
2010National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010Contains important hate crimes legislation.
2011Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011Formally named after Ike Skelton, a long-term Congressman and Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee from Missouri.
2012National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012Contains several controversial sections, the chief being §§ 1021–1022, which affirm provisions authorizing the indefinite military detention of civilians, including U.S. citizens, without habeas corpus or due process, contained in the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), .[7]
2013National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013
2014National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014A United States federal law that specified the budget and expenditures of the United States Department of Defense (DOD) for Fiscal Year 2014. The law authorized the DOD to spend $607 billion in Fiscal Year 2014.[8] On December 26, 2013, President Barack Obama signed the bill into law.[9] This was the 53rd consecutive year that a National Defense Authorization Act has been passed.
2015One of the proposed NDAA bills for fiscal year 2015. On May 8, 2014, the House Armed Services Committee ordered the bill reported (amended) by a vote of 61-0.[10] The Committee spent 12 hours debating the bill and voting on hundreds of different amendments before voting to pass it.[11]
2016National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016
2017National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017
2018National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018
2019John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019Formally named after John S. McCain III, a U.S. war veteran, prisoner of war, long-term Senator, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and 2008 Republican Presidential Nominee.
2020National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020Formally established the United States Space Force as an independent branch of the Armed Forces.
2021William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021Formally named after William McClellan "Mac" Thornberry, a long-term Congressman, and ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee.
2022National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022
2023James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023Named after James M. Inhofe, a long-term Senator, and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
2024National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History of the NDAA . August 4, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181222000607/https://armedservices.house.gov/ndaa/history-ndaa . December 22, 2018 . dead .
  2. Book: DeBruyne . Nese F. . Defense Authorization and Appropriations Bills: FY1961-FY2018 . April 19, 2018 . Congressional Research Service . Washington, DC . 20 November 2018 . November 20, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181120221301/https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/98-756/48 . live .
  3. Book: Williams . Lynn B. . Heitshusen . Valerie . Defense Primer: Navigating the NDAA . November 28, 2016 . Congressional Research Service . Washington, DC . 11 November 2018 . August 9, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200809011330/https://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/IF10516.pdf . live .
  4. [United States Government Publishing Office]
  5. Congress.gov, Summary: S.3001 — 110th Congress (2007-2008), accessed 8 February 2021
  6. Wifcon.com, Bill Summary: The Clean Contracting Act, accessed 8 February 2021
  7. Web site: NDAA's indefinite detention without trial returns. Zachary Bell. Salon. December 19, 2012. February 21, 2014. February 24, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140224010747/http://www.salon.com/2012/12/19/ndaas_indefinite_detention_without_trial_returns/. live.
  8. News: Bennett. John T.. With Just Days to Spare, Senate Extends NDAA Streak. http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20140105131812/http://www.defensenews.com/article/20131220/DEFREG02/312200014/With%2DJust%2DDays%2DSpare%2DSenate%2DExtends%2DNDAA%2DStreak. dead. January 5, 2014. 2 January 2014. DefenseNews. 20 December 2013.
  9. Web site: Statement by the President on H.R. 3304. December 26, 2013 . White House Office of the Press Secretary. 2 January 2014. February 27, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210227184355/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/12/26/statement-president-hr-3304. live.
  10. Web site: H.R. 4435 – All Actions. United States Congress. 15 May 2014. May 15, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140515162302/http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4435/all-actions. live.
  11. Web site: Medici. Andy. 11 things you probably didn't know were in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2015. Federal Times. 15 May 2014. 15 May 2014. dead. https://archive.today/20140515201644/http://blogs.federaltimes.com/federal-times-blog/2014/05/15/here-are-11-things-you-probably-didnt-know-were-in-the-national-defense-authorization-act-of-2015/. 15 May 2014.