Courtney Votes to Pass the Bipartisan 2023 Defense Authorization Bill | Congressman Joe Courtney
Skip to main content

Courtney Votes to Pass the Bipartisan 2023 Defense Authorization Bill

July 14, 2022

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, voted to pass the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (H.R. 7900). The House-passed NDAA includes new forms of support for American servicemembers and their families, authorizes continued support for a historic amount of shipbuilding and submarine procurement and research efforts, and makes critical investments to increase readiness in the European area of responsibility in the wake of Russia's invasion into Ukraine.

The 2023 NDAA also includes two Courtney-authored provisions to support the success of the new AUKUS defense alliance. The first comes from Rep. Courtney's U.S.-Australia Submarine Officer Pipeline Act, and will help ensure Australia's Navy is trained and ready to pilot their nuclear-powered submarine fleet of the future. The second will help protect and expand access to critical mineral resources and supply lines relied on by America, the U.K. and Australia alike used for developing advanced weapon systems. The NDAA received bipartisan support in the House of Representatives, and was passed by a vote of 329-101.

"The 2023 Defense Authorization provides our nation with the resources we need to assure our allies, deter conflict, and protect our homeland. At a time when many people wonder if Congress can still work together and get big things done, my colleagues and I on the House Armed Services Committee proved once again that we can do just that," Courtney said. "On the Seapower Subcommittee, our work ensured that this year's NDAA delivers on behalf of our Navy with authorization for a record amount of shipbuilding and submarine construction, including full funding to continue work on the Navy's number-one priority—the new Columbia-class submarine program—as well as the Virginia-class program, thirteen new battle force ships, and other crucial support vessels. Our NDAA would also provide a key pay increase for all our military and civilian personnel, as well as a new bonus to help servicemembers offset rising prices. We began crafting this Defense Authorization months ago, and the final product is one that fulfills our duty to strengthen America's national security, and to serve those who serve us."

"This year's NDAA also puts a strong emphasis on building out our long-term naval and shipbuilding efforts, and that comes at a particularly exciting time for eastern Connecticut," Courtney added. "The years of work in our region to increase submarine production, and to build up the skilled workforce needed to produce it, have culminated in a massive expansion of the Groton shipyard and the supply chain that supports it. With all of that in place, and with the strong shipbuilding demand signals coming from our own Navy and through new partnerships like AUKUS, the 2023 NDAA makes sure we'll keep the momentum going strong—both in terms of submarine construction, and in strengthening the skilled workforce and the industrial base we need to build them."

Read below for more information on what provisions are included in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act.

Eastern Connecticut Priorities included in the 2023 NDAA

Submarines and Undersea Capabilities—The HASC-passed NDAA authorizes a total of $14.6 billion for submarine procurement, repair, and research & development priorities including:

Virginia-class Submarine—Authorizes $6.5 billion to support the sustained two-per-year build rate of new Virginia-class submarines with $4.5 billion for two submarines in 2023 and $2 billion in advance procurement to support future construction of submarines in 2024 and 2025.

Columbia-class Submarine—Authorizes $3.1 billion in support of the second year of funding for the first Columbia class submarine and $2.8 billion in advanced procurement to support the second, in line with the contract announced in June 2020.

Submarine Industrial Base and Workforce Development—Following Biden's Presidential Determination classifying the submarine industrial base as essential to national security, the mark fully authorizes the budget request of $750 million for submarine industrial base investments. That includes $541 million for submarine supplier development, shipyard infrastructure, strategic outsourcing, and technology opportunities, as well as $227 million to support workforce development initiatives. Courtney has long championed efforts to bolster workforce development efforts to support submarine construction, such as the Eastern Connecticut Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative.

Submarine Research and Development—The bill authorizes over $1 billion in research and development of future submarine capabilities, including a $197.4 million increase for developing capabilities for the next block of submarines, and about $144 million to develop the SSN(X), the planned future follow-on to the Virginia-class. These efforts are vital to sustaining the health of the design and engineering workforce at Electric Boat.

Academic Partnerships for Undersea Research—The bill authorizes $20 million to support partnerships with academic institutions conducting research on undersea capabilities, such as the National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology, a collaborative program between the University of Connecticut and the University of Rhode Island.

Remote Acoustic Sensors—The Bill includes an amendment Rep. Courtney secured during Full Committee markup to re-allocate $22 million in the bill towards supporting operational testing of unmanned remote acoustic sensor systems, which will help the Navy evaluate existing off-the-shelf platforms like those developed by Groton's ThayerMahan.

Advanced Submarine Control—The bill authorizes a Courtney priority of $8.5 million for research and development efforts to improve low speed dynamic maneuverability for the next block of Virginia-class submarines and beyond, like those currently under development at Progeny Systems in Groton.

Defense Impact Aid—Authorizes $53 million requested by Courtney for the DOD supplemental impact aid program, which provides support to local school districts with high proportions of military children, including Groton public schools. This program is in addition to the primary Impact Aid program funded through the Department of Education, which does not fall within the jurisdiction of the House Armed Services Committee.

Naval Submarine Base New London—Authorizes $15.5 million for a military construction project to relocate the existing underwater electromagnetic measurement system due to planned construction of a floating dry dock at Electric Boat in support of the Columbia-class submarine program. The current system is used to determine if submarines need degaussing or magnetic silencing to protect from undersea mines.

DOD Microelectronics—Authorizes an additional $3 million for the Department of Defense to continue development and procurement of advanced technologies and critical materials required for a variety of DOD systems, like those produced at TTM Technologies in Stafford and Stafford Springs.

Support for Civilian Employees—The bill includes an amendment introduced by Rep. Courtney to direct the Government Accountability Office to review the parity between the Federal Wage System and the prevailing wage rate for wage grade workers at U.S. Navy public shipyards and at naval bases in competitive job markets, like civilian employees at Naval Submarine Base New London.

Seapower and Projection Forces

Shipbuilding—Following the subcommittee's bipartisan work to examine shipbuilding industrial capacity and Navy force structure requirements, the bill as amended authorizes 13 battle force ships, four more than the budget request, including:

  • Two Virginia-class submarines;
  • Three DDG 51 Arleigh Burke destroyers. The measure also includes multiyear procurement authority for up to 15 destroyers in the next block contract.
  • Two guided missile Frigates (FFG);
  • One Landing Platform Dock (LPD) Flight II;
  • Two John Lewis Class T-AO fleet oilers;
  • One T-ATS towing, salvage, and rescue ship; and
  • Two Expeditionary Medical Ships (EMS)

Additionally, the bill increased the Navy's resources for shipbuilding and ship maintenance by authorizing additional funding to include:

  • $250 million for large surface combatant shipyard infrastructure;
  • $318 to address costs of restoring five large surface combatants; and
  • $59 million to restore two Expeditionary Transport Dock (ESD) ships.

Sealift & Maritime—The bill includes several Courtney-led provisions to prioritize the recapitalization and expansion of critical sealift capabilities:

  • Domestic Design and Construction Program—The bill includes a provision authored by Courtney to require the Maritime Administration to carry out a program to complete the design and construction in United States shipyards of up to 10 sealift vessels for use in the National defense Reserve Fleet.
  • Tanker Security Program (TSP)—The bill fully authorizes the budget request of $60 million for the new Tanker Security Program, created by the Seapower Subcommittee in the FY21 NDAA to address critical gaps in at-sea refueling and logistics.

Aircraft and Projection Forces Capabilities:

  • B-21 Raider—Fully supports investments for the B-21 Raider to begin initial low-rate production and continue research and development efforts for an advanced suite of capabilities in future aircraft.
  • Tactical Airlift & Aerial Refueling—Maintains statutory floors for the Air Force's fleet of C-130 tactical airlift aircraft and aerial refueling tankers in support of requirements established by the Department of Defense. The bill also supports the budget request to authorize 15 KC-46 aerial refueling tankers for the Air Force.

Support for the AUKUS Alliance

As founder and co-chair of both the Friends of Australia Caucus and the newly formed AUKUS Working Group, Rep. Courtney has led the U.S. Congress in taking the first steps to support the new undersea alliance. Courtney authored two provisions in this year's NDAA that will support the success of AUKUS by helping ensure Australia's Navy is ready to pilot nuclear-powered submarines upon delivery, and that will help strengthen and secure critical resources and supply lines needed for shipbuilding:

  • Submariner Training Pipeline—The bill includes a Courtney provision that would require the Secretary of Defense to establish a training program for Royal Australian Navy submarine officers to begin training at Navy Nuclear Propulsion School and eventually be assigned to duty on an operational U.S. submarine in support of the trilateral partnership between the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia announced by the Biden Administration last September. This provision was adopted to the NDAA from Rep. Courtney's U.S.-Australia Submarine Officer Pipeline Act, a bill he introduced in June.
  • Defense Production Act—The bill includes a Courtney-authored amendment to add Australia and United Kingdom to the definition of a domestic source under the Defense Production Act in support of ensuring a robust defense industrial base and cooperation with our closest allies. This measure will expand access to critical materials and rare earth minerals to accelerate defense innovation enterprises between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Other Courtney Priorities

Additional Connecticut Aerospace Priorities:

  • F-35 Joint Strike Fighter—Supports procurement of 64 F-35 aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps and supports the Marine Corps Unfunded Priority List that would increase F-35 maintenance activities with procurement of additional engine modules, built at Pratt & Whitney.
  • Blackhawks—Supports an increase of 2 UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters over the budget request, bringing the total number authorized to 27 helicopters for the Army National Guard, built at Sikorsky.
  • CH53-K—Supports an increase of 2 CH-53K heavy lift helicopters, bringing the total to 12 aircraft for the Marine Corps, built at Sikorsky.
  • Combat Rescue Helicopter—Supports the budget request for 10 Combat Rescue Helicopters, built at Sikorsky. The bill also includes a Courtney-authored amendment from Full Committee markup to prohibit the Air Force from using FY23 funds for shutdown or planned shutdown activities for the aircraft's production line, as proposed in the budget request.
  • CT National Guard—Authorizes an increase of $107 million for modernization of Air National Guard C-130H airlift aircraft, which includes avionics and cockpit upgrades to replace aging, unreliable equipment and add capability enhancements. The bill also requires a report to study the benefits of outfitting the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard with a full C-130J model fleet, a top priority for the Connecticut Air National Guard.

Notable Provisions

  • Pay Raise—Authorizes a 4.6% pay increase for all military personnel.
  • Servicemember Inflation Bonus—The bill also includes a 2.4% inflation bonus for service members and civilian personnel earning less than $45,000 per year.
  • Ukraine—The bill includes several provisions related to Ukraine, including a $700 million increase to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which has been critical in providing resources to Ukraine. The bill also fully funds the European Deterrence Initiative and invests in additional capabilities that support deterrence in the European Command area of operations. Also included is a reporting requirement for Congress to receive a strategy and resourcing plan to adapt U.S. force posture to support NATO allies given the changed security environment in Eastern Europe.
  • Afghanistan—Extends the authorization of this program and the deadline for those who qualify to apply for SIVs, reaffirming the commitment to Afghan citizens who, at great personal risk, supported United States operations in Afghanistan.

###