Warner Robins Today

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), released a statement following the passage of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) out of committee with a vote of 57-1. The NDAA sets Department of Defense policies and authorizes funding levels for defense programs.

“Georgia’s bases are key to our national defense and are impactful across the globe,” Rep. Scott said. “The FY25 NDAA supports our warfighters at home and abroad and deters our adversaries. I am proud to have several amendments included that support our military as they defend the United States.”

Chairman Mike Rogers (AL-03) expressed his gratitude, stating, “I thank Rep. Scott for his continued leadership on the House Armed Services Committee. Rep. Scott works tirelessly to support the brave men and women serving at Robins Air Force Base and Moody Air Force Base, as well as the over 20,000 reservists and guardsmen across the state of Georgia.”

Rep. Scott had 20 amendments adopted during the HASC markup of the FY25 NDAA, with another 15 included in the base text of the bill.

Key provisions authored by Rep. Scott include:

**Implementing Institutional Reforms Beneficial to the National Guard:** Georgia is currently partnered with Argentina's armed forces and Georgia under the State Partnership Program. One amendment extends activities pursuant to this program by one year.

Another amendment would make the Chief of the National Guard Bureau eligible for appointment as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

**Supporting Special Operations Forces and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Personnel:** An amendment increases purchase thresholds for special forces in austere environments, allowing them to operate without limitations tied to declared contingency operations or locations.

Two EOD-related amendments were added to elevate their profile within the Department of Army.

**Honoring Heroes and Veterans:** An amendment urges naming U.S Navy warships after forty-two Navy Medal of Honor Recipients since World War I who have not had ships named after them.

Another amendment allows honorably separated Coast Guard personnel receiving care from either Veterans Affairs or Public Health Service similar benefits as other service members from DoD services.

**Strengthening Organic Industrial Base:** Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex plays a crucial role in Air Force strategy alongside Navy shipyards and Army arsenals. An amendment directs a briefing on implications for multiyear O&M funding for weapons systems sustainment.

An additional amendment enhances readiness by directing preparations needed to modernize DoD's organic industrial base against peer competitors in multiple theaters.

**Enhancing Counterdrug Cooperation Against Transnational Criminal Organizations:** Sponsored an amendment increasing DoD operational areas with law enforcement partners for counterdrug operations, aiming quicker interdiction and apprehension of criminal organizations.

**Strengthening Supply Chain & Reducing Reliance on China:** An amendment requires DoD procurement of lithium-ion batteries from domestic or allied nations starting in 2026, along with a briefing on procuring hardware-based Encrypted Data Storage Devices.

**Aluminum Extrusions in National Defense Industrial Base:** Sponsored an amendment requiring a briefing on robust domestic production capability for heavy press and hard alloy extrusions essential for munitions, aerospace, space applications by March 1, 2025.

**Critical Precursor Chemicals Supply Chain Vulnerabilities:** Addressing significant risks posed by importing chemicals from adversarial nations like China through an amendment directing identification vulnerable supply chains communicated gaps to domestic biomanufacturing industrial base reporting back by March 1, 2025.

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