National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022

This bill authorizes Department of Defense (DOD) activities and programs for FY2022 and addresses various other issues.

For example, the bill

• provides multiyear procurement authority for certain helicopters and destroyers;
• imposes various cost and operational limits on the F-35 aircraft program;
• requires DOD to establish a consortium of institutions of higher education to study irregular warfare;
• generally prohibits DOD from disposing of certain waste, including hazardous waste, in open-air burn pits outside of the United States;
• requires DOD to impose a temporary moratorium on burning perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (commonly referred to as PFAS);
• expands Selective Service registration to include women;
• requires the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard to appoint special victim prosecutors;
• requires that a formal complaint alleging sexual harassment committed by a service member against another service member be investigated by an independent investigator;
• authorizes the Office of Military Family Readiness Policy to take actions to provide nonmedical counseling services to military families through the DOD Family Readiness System;
• directs DOD to implement certain recommendations for reducing gender-related inequities in out-of-pocket uniform costs;
• requires DOD to provide a basic needs allowance to low-income service members;
• extends temporary authorities for providing premium pay and benefits to certain DOD civilian employees;
• establishes within the General Services Administration the National Digital Reserve Corps to help address the digital and cybersecurity needs of executive agencies;
• extends authority for DOD to support stabilization activities in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Somalia; and
• imposes sanctions on entities (and certain officers and shareholders of such entities) responsible for operating, constructing, or operating the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.