National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024

{{Short description|United States federal law}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Use American English|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox U.S. legislation | shorttitle = National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 | othershorttitles = | longtitle = An Act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2024 for military activities of the Department of Defense and for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes. | colloquialacronym = NDAA | nickname = | enacted by = 118th | effective date = | public law url = | cite public law = {{uspl|118|31}} | cite statutes at large = | acts amended = | acts repealed = | title amended =  | sections created =  | sections amended = | leghisturl = https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/2670 | introducedin = House | introduceddate = {{date|April 18, 2023|MDY}} | committees = House Armed Services | introducedby = Mike Rogers (R–AL) | introducedbill = {{USBill|118|h|2670}} | passedbody1 = House | passeddate1 = {{date|July 14, 2023|MDY}} | passedvote1 = [https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023328 219–210] | passedbody2 = Senate | passeddate2 = {{date|July 27, 2023|MDY}} | passedvote2 = with an amendment by unanimous consent | conferencedate = {{date|December 6, 2023|MDY}} | passeddate3 = {{date|December 13, 2023|MDY}} | passedbody3 = Senate | passedvote3 = [https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00343.htm 87–13] | passedbody4 = House | passeddate4 = {{date|December 14, 2023|MDY}} | passedvote4 = [https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023723 310–118] | signedpresident = Joe Biden | signeddate = {{date|December 22, 2023|MDY}} | SCOTUS cases = }} The '''National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024''' (NDAA 2024) is a United States federal law which specifies the budget, expenditures, and policies of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) for fiscal year 2024.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Waldenberg |first=Samantha |date=2023-12-22 |title=Biden signs $886.3 billion defense policy bill into law {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/22/politics/biden-signs-usd886-3-billion-defense-policy-bill-into-law/index.html |access-date=2023-12-23 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>

The newly added section 1250A of the act prohibits the President from withdrawing the United States from NATO without congressional approval, making it the first statute ever explicitly banning unilateral withdrawal from a treaty.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The North Atlantic Treaty: U.S. Legal Obligations and Congressional Authorities |url=https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/LSB11256.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2026-04-01 |website=www.everycrsreport.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Background== The National Defense Authorization Act is an annual bill proposed in the United States Congress that redefines the United States military budget for the following fiscal year.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/14/us/politics/defense-bill-house-ndaa.html |title=House Narrowly Passes Defense Bill, Setting Up Showdown Over Social Issues |date=July 14, 2023 |last=Demirjian |first=Karoun |work=The New York Times |access-date=July 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/11/us/politics/defense-bill-republicans.html |title=Hard Right Presses Culture War Fights on Defense Bill, Imperiling Passage |date=July 11, 2023 |last=Demirjian |first=Karoun |work=The New York Times |access-date=July 15, 2023}}</ref> Each chamber of Congress introduced a version of the NDAA: {{USBill|118|h|2670}} in the House and {{USBill|118|s|2226}} in the Senate.

==History== The House passed their version on July 14, 2023 by a vote of [https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023328 219–210]. Led by Chuck Schumer and Mike Rounds, the Senate passed theirs on July 27, 2023 by a vote of [https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00212.htm 86–11]. The Senate then replaced H.R. 2670 with the text of S. 2226 and passed it by unanimous consent, and indefinitely postponed S. 2226.<ref>{{USCongRec|2023|S3725|date=27 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{USCongRec|2023|S3730|date=27 July 2023}}</ref> The House disagreed to the Senate amendment and asked to hold conference on September 19,<ref>{{USCongRec|2023|H4401|date=19 September 2023}}</ref> with the Senate insisting on its amendment and agreeing to conference on November 15.<ref>{{USCongRec|2023|S5529|date=15 November 2023}}</ref> The subsequent conference report was filed on December 6 ([https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/118th-congress/house-report/301 H. Rept. 118-301]).<ref>{{USCongRec|2023|S5837|date=7 December 2023}}</ref> The bill was approved by the Senate and House and sent to President Joe Biden on December 14.<ref>{{cite news|work=Politico|title=House sends defense bill to Biden, despite conservative anger over spy powers, culture wars|author=CONNOR O'BRIEN|date=December 14, 2023|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/14/house-sends-defense-bill-to-biden-despite-conservative-anger-over-spy-powers-culture-wars-00131765}}</ref> Biden signed it into law on December 22.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=The White House |date=2023-12-22 |title=Bill Signed: H.R. 2670 |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/legislation/2023/12/22/bill-signed-h-r-2670/ |access-date=2023-12-23 |website=The White House |language=en-US}}</ref> In his signing statement, Biden expressed reservations about provisions that restrict the executive branch's discretion in Guantanamo detainee transfers and raised constitutional concerns regarding congressional oversight and foreign policy authority.<ref>{{Cite web |last= Biden |first= Joseph R. |date= 26 December 2023 |title= Statement on Signing the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 |url= https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/DCPD-202301145 |access-date= 2024-03-05 |website= Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents |publisher= Office of the Federal Register}}</ref>

== Provisions ==

===NATO withdrawal=== [https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/118/public/31?link-type=uslm#d7546e48801 Section 1250A] ({{UnitedStatesCode|22|1928f}}) prevents the President from withdrawing the United States from NATO without the approval of a two-thirds Senate supermajority or an act of Congress.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Joe |last1=Gould |first2=Jack |last2=Detsch |first3=Connor |last3=O'Brien |date=2024-11-08 |title=The law is 'not airtight': Trump may have a way out of NATO |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2024/11/08/trump-nato-congress-courts-00188426 |work=Politico |location= |access-date=}}</ref>

===Unidentified flying objects (UFOs)===

[https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/118/public/31?link-type=uslm#d7546e80896 Sections 1841] et seq. outline the creation and management of a comprehensive collection of government records on UFOs or unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) at the National Archives (NARA), detailing the processes for assembling, preserving, and providing public access to these records, along with specific protocols for their review, disclosure, and secure handling. NARA subsequently provided guidance to federal agencies to identify, organize, and disclose UAP records for the new collection.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/memos/ac-13-2024 |title=AC 13.2024 |date=7 February 2024 |first=Laurence |last=Brewer |publisher=National Archives and Records Administration}}</ref>

[https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/118/public/31?link-type=uslm#d7546e68608 Sections 1687] and [https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/118/public/31?link-type=uslm#d7546e170428 7343] disallow use of funds or independent research and development (IRAD) indirect expenses for UFOs or UAP unless such material and information is made available the appropriate congressional committees and congressional leadership.

Language on the topic of UFO/UAP was also included in the previous 2023 NDAA (e.g. {{UnitedStatesCode|50|3373b}}), the 2022 NDAA (e.g. {{UnitedStatesCode|50|3373}}), the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (e.g. {{UnitedStatesCode|50|3373a}}), as well as an accompanying Senate Select Committee on Intelligence report for the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (i.e. [https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/116th-congress/senate-report/233 S. Rept. 116-233]).

The provisions are also known as the UAP Disclosure Act of 2023.<ref name="Barna">{{cite web |last1=Barna |first1=Stephanie |title=Implications of the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Amendment in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) |url=https://www.insidegovernmentcontracts.com/2024/01/implications-of-the-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena-uap-amendment-in-the-2024-national-defense-authorization-act-ndaa/ |website=Inside Government Contracts |access-date=17 March 2026 |date=9 January 2024}}</ref><ref name="pm2023">{{cite web |title=The U.S. Government Can Keep UFO Sightings Secret Under New Legislation |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a46105999/uap-disclosure-act/ |website=Popular Mechanics |access-date=17 March 2026 |date=14 December 2023}}</ref> From the original proposal, several measures have been stripped,<ref name="Luscombe">{{cite web |last1=Luscombe |first1=Richard |title=US Congress passes stripped-down measure to release UFO records |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/15/ufo-records-release-congress |website=The Guardian |access-date=17 March 2026 |date=15 December 2023}}</ref> including the Federal Government's exercise of eminent domain over UAP-related material controlled by private persons or entities.<ref name="Barna"/> The remaining<ref name="Luscombe"/> provisions have been described by journalists covering the subject as a heavily watered down version of the act.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Clark |first1=Stuart |title=‘It only takes one to be real and it changes humanity for ever’: what if we’ve been lied to about UFOs? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/jan/14/what-happens-if-we-have-been-visited-by-aliens-lied-to-ufos-uaps-grusch-congress |website=The Guardian |access-date=17 March 2026 |date=14 January 2024}}</ref><ref name="pm2023"/> See {{section link|#UAP Disclosure Act}} below.

In 2026, President Trump said he would order agencies to begin the process of identifying and releasing files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs).<ref>{{cite web |last=Trump |first=Donald |authorlink=Donald Trump |date=19 February 2026 |title=Truth Details |url=https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116100300268316472 |website=Truth Social |publisher= |access-date=2026-02-24}}</ref>

===Foreign Extortion Prevention Act=== {{Main articles|Foreign Extortion Prevention Act}} The Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) enables US authorities to prosecute foreign officials who demand or accept bribes from a US citizen, US company, or within a US jurisdiction. Analysts stated that FEPA addresses a longstanding gap in US anti-bribery legislation by tackling the "demand" side of bribery. At the same time, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) focuses on the "supply" side of bribery.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sun |first=Mengqi |date=2024-01-02 |title=U.S. Prosecutors Can Charge Foreign Officials With Bribery Under New Provision |language=en-US |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-prosecutors-can-charge-foreign-officials-with-bribery-under-new-provision-ec3a4dfc |url-access=subscription |access-date=2024-01-04 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 19, 2023 |title=Congress Passes the Foreign Extortion Prevention Act |url=https://www.natlawreview.com/article/corrupt-foreign-leaders-now-hook-bribery-charges-congress-passes-foreign-extortion |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=The National Law Review |language=en}}</ref>

===Counter-extremist working group defunded=== {{Editorial|date=January 2025|section}} Republicans vigorously opposed the anti-extremism working group created by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. That working group had been created by Austin after it became apparent that some service members and veterans had participated in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. That working group released recommendations at the end of 2021. Implementation, however, appeared to stall as Republicans increasingly opposed diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the military, which Republicans derided as "wokeness".

Meanwhile, a recent inspector general report found dozens of troops, who appeared to be advocating violent overthrow of the US government.<ref>{{cite Q|Q130314187}}</ref>

The seriousness of this issue seems apparent from the fact that military and veterans have participated in other violent extremist events. For example, the Oklahoma City bomber, Timothy McVeigh, had served with distinction in Operation Desert Storm but had earned a reputation as a sergeant for assigning undesirable work to black servicemen and using derogatory language.<ref>{{cite Q|Q130315309}}</ref>

==Original proposals== The original House bill contained provisions to:

* Space Force Personnel Management Act: Disestablish the regular Space Force in order to integrate both active duty and reserve personnel into one Space Force entity. This is to allow for better flexibility for the Space Force by replacing "active duty" with "sustained duty" or "full-time" status, and replacing "reserve" with "part-time" status.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Lohr |first=Alexandra |date=2023-06-19 |title=House Armed Services Committee endorses new management structure for Space Force |url=https://federalnewsnetwork.com/space-operations/2023/06/house-armed-services-committee-endorses-new-management-structure-for-space-force/ |access-date=2023-07-17 |website=Federal News Network |language=en-US}}</ref> This change would only pertain to the Space Force and not to the other armed services.<ref name=":0" /> * Elevate the position of vice chief of the National Guard Bureau to hold a statutory rank of general.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Goheen |first=John |date=2023-12-13 |title=Guard Gets Some Wins in Compromise Defense Bill {{!}} National Guard Association of the United States |url=https://www.ngaus.org/newsroom/guard-gets-some-wins-compromise-defense-bill |access-date=2023-12-23 |website=www.ngaus.org |language=en}}</ref> * Permanently establish the titles of commissioned officer ranks of the Space Force to be the same as the Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force. * Authorize a $886 billion spending budget for national defense programs including:<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |first1=Clare |last1=Foran |first2=Haley |last2=Talbot |date=2023-07-14 |title=House passes defense bill after adopting controversial amendments targeting abortion policy and other issues |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/14/politics/house-ndaa-vote-amendments/index.html |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=CNN Politics |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |first1=Clare |last1=Foran |first2=Morgan |last2=Rimmer |first3=Kristin |last3=Wilson |date=2023-07-28 |title=Senate passes defense policy bill, setting up showdown with the House |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/27/politics/senate-ndaa-vote/index.html |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=CNN Politics|language=en}}</ref> ** A 5.2% pay increase for service members of the armed forces.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> ** Procurement of up to 13 ''Virginia''-class submarines.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lopez |first=C. Todd |date=2023-12-14 |title=Congress Passes Fiscal 2024 Defense Spending Bill, Pay Raise for Service Members |url=https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3618367/congress-passes-fiscal-2024-defense-spending-bill-pay-raise-for-service-members/ |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=U.S. Department of Defense |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Cataneo |first=Julia |date=2023-12-19 |title=Five Notable Items for Asia Watchers in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act |url=https://www.aei.org/foreign-and-defense-policy/five-notable-items-for-asia-watchers-in-the-2024-national-defense-authorization-act/ |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=American Enterprise Institute - AEI |language=en-US}}</ref> * Authorize the sale and transfer of defense articles and services relating to the implementation of the AUKUS partnership, including: ** Up to three ''Virginia''-class submarines, one year after this act is passed, however the Navy doesn't intend implement this until 2032.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Katz |first=Justin |date=2023-12-14 |title=House passes NDAA, ducking culture wars, sending bill to White House |url=https://breakingdefense.sites.breakingmedia.com/2023/12/house-passes-ndaa-ducking-culture-wars-sending-bill-to-white-house/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Breaking Defense |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Bryant |date=2023-12-14 |title=Senate passes final defense policy bill |url=https://www.defensenews.com/congress/budget/2023/12/14/senate-passes-final-defense-policy-bill/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Defense News |language=en}}</ref>

The Senate amendment contained:

* {{vanchor|UAP Disclosure Act}}:<ref>{{cite press release |author= |title=Schumer, Rounds Introduce New Legislation To Declassify Government Records Related To Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena & UFOs – Modeled After JFK Assassination Records Collection Act – As An Amendment To NDAA |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=Senate Democratic Caucus |date=14 July 2023 |access-date=2023-08-12 |url=https://www.democrats.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/schumer-rounds-introduce-new-legislation-to-declassify-government-records-related-to-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena-and-ufos_modeled-after-jfk-assassination-records-collection-act--as-an-amendment-to-ndaa}}</ref> The Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act of 2023 would direct the National Archives and Records Administration to collect and disclose records on unidentified flying objects (UFOs) or unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) no later than 25 years after enactment with a presumption of immediate disclosure. The U.S. president can certify that continued postponement can be made necessary by an identifiable harm to military defense, intelligence operations, law enforcement or conduct of foreign relations. The federal government would have eminent domain over recovered technologies of unknown origin (TUO) and biological evidence of non-human intelligence (NHI) that may be controlled by private persons or entities, such as aerospace companies. Legislation was necessary in part because UAP records had not been subject to mandatory declassification review due to exemptions under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 as well as an over-broad interpretation of "transclassified foreign nuclear information".<ref>{{USCongRec|2023|S2953|date=13 July 2023}}</ref> * The Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) requires people currently or formerly under contract with the federal government to make all UFO/UAP material and information and a comprehensive list of all extraterrestrial or exotic UAP material available to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO).<ref>{{cite news |first=Brandi |last=Vincent |date=27 June 2023 |title=Senate's intelligence authorization bill questions 'reverse engineering' of government-recovered UAP |url=https://defensescoop.com/2023/06/27/senates-intelligence-authorization-bill-questions-reverse-engineering-of-government-recovered-uaps/ |work=DefenseScoop |access-date=2023-08-12}}</ref> * A provision that prevents the President of the United States from withdrawing the U.S. from NATO without approval of a two-thirds Senate supermajority or an act of Congress.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harris |first=Bryant |date=2023-07-19 |title=With eyes on Trump, Senate votes to make NATO withdrawal harder |url=https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2023/07/19/with-eyes-on-trump-senate-votes-to-make-nato-withdrawal-harder/ |access-date=2023-11-17 |website=Defense News |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-17632/uslm/COMPS-17632.xml National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024] as amended ([https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-17632/pdf/COMPS-17632.pdf PDF]/[https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/COMPS-17632 details]) in the GPO [https://www.govinfo.gov/help/comps Statute Compilations collection] * [https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/118/public/31?link-type=uslm National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024] as enacted ([https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/118/public/31?link-type=pdf&.pdf PDF]/[https://www.govinfo.gov/link/plaw/118/public/31?link-type=details details]) in the US Statutes at Large * {{USBill|118|HR|2670|pipe=}} on Congress.gov * {{USBill|118|S|2226|pipe=}} on Congress.gov * {{USBill|118|HR|3932|pipe=}} (IAA) on Congress.gov * {{USBill|118|S|2103|pipe=}} (IAA) on Congress.gov * [https://www.archives.gov/research/topics/uaps Records Related to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs)] at the National Archives

Category:2023 in American politics Category:2023 in American law Category:December 2023 in the United States Category:U.S. National Defense Authorization Acts Category:Acts of the 118th United States Congress Category:United States government responses to UFOs Category:Chuck Schumer Category:Presidency of Joe Biden