Rep. Calvert Priorities Included in the National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report

Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-41) voted along with a majority (310 to 118) of the House of Representatives to approve the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report.

The NDAA includes a provision (Sec. 1810) requested by Rep. Calvert that will transfer seven C-130 aircraft from the U.S. Coast Guard to the state of California for use in wildfire suppression.

“California needs all of the support we can get in combatting wildfires and the addition of seven C-130 aircraft will provide desperately needed assistance in protecting lives and property,” said Rep. Calvert. “I have been working on a bipartisan basis to along with Senator Padilla’s office to get these aircraft to California and ready to fight fires as soon as possible.”

The NDAA also includes a provision (Sec. 363) requested by Rep. Calvert to improve the safety of U.S. service members by adding new requirements to the Joint Safety Council. Specifically, the language modifies the Joint Safety Council to ensure each military department has a safety management system that has a resolution program identifying specific corrective and preventative actions to address the causes of mishaps, and an implementation plan to prevent mishaps and accidents from occurring in the future. The provision also requires a periodic annual review to examine and validate each corrective and preventative action and ensure any changes are made. This language echoes the intent of the MEZr Act, H.R. 4214, legislation introduced by Rep. Calvert earlier this year. The legislation stemmed from the death of Rep. Calvert’s constituent and F-16 pilot First Lt. David Schmitz (callsign “MEZr”) whose ejection seat malfunctioned while attempting a nighttime landing that ultimately resulted in a fatal crash.                                                                       

“We owe it to our servicemembers and their families to take every action possible to learn from past mistakes and work to prevent avoidable accidents that threaten the lives and safety of our troops,” said Rep. Calvert. “The NDAA includes meaningful reforms that will better protect American servicemembers.”

The NDAA also includes sections (Sec. 913/Sec. 903) championed by Rep. Calvert that formally establish the Defense Innovation Unit and Office of Strategic Capital and their respective programs to support, implement, scale, and ultimately field new technologies. The NDAA also authorizes the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program. Rep. Calvert led the effort to establish APFIT in the Fiscal Year 2022 Defense Appropriations bill.

“The Defense Innovation Unit and Office of Strategic Capital are doing critical work that recognizes the dramatic ways in which our wars will be fought in the years and decades ahead,” said Rep. Calvert. “These offices and the programs they support are at the forefront of maintaining America’s technological advantage on the battlefield.”

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