Rounds Provisions included FY 2020 NDAA
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Chairman of the Cybersecurity Subcommittee, secured a number of provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, which passed the Senate earlier today. On May 22, 2019, the NDAA was approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee with Rounds’ support.
“While Mike is supporting Jean this week during her treatment, the impact of his work on this year’s National Defense Authorization Act is clear in Washington,” said Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “He authored numerous provisions in this year’s bill that will have a positive, substantive impact on our troops, veterans and military families. I cannot overstate the value of Mike’s leadership in preparing our military to adequately assess, respond to and prevent attacks in the cyber domain.”
Rounds Major Provisions Included in FY 2020 NDAA:
- Cybersecurity of the Defense Industrial Base - Requires DOD to create a framework for the cybersecurity of the defense industrial base, particularly with regard to the myriad subcontractors who demonstrate tremendous cyber vulnerabilities. This results from a major cyber breach of a Navy contractor resulting in serious theft of information.
- Readiness of the DOD Cyber Force to Accomplish its Mission - Requires DOD to develop readiness metrics for the cyber force and, based upon these metrics, brief the armed services committees on a quarterly basis.
- Establishment of a Cyber Consortia for Centers of Academic Excellence like DSU – Requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a university consortia to advise and assist DOD on cybersecurity. It would provide a single portal for DOD to access the expertise of universities designated as NSA and DHS Centers of Academic Excellence, such as Dakota State University in Madison.
- Establishment of Principal Cyber Advisors Within Each Branch – Creates a “Principal Cyber Advisor” position within each of the services to act as a single point of responsibility for cybersecurity. The goal is to bridge the gaps, seams and fragmentation within the services’ cyber postures.
- Innovation Pilots - Requires a pilot program to produce dual-use startups in defense technology that would attract funding from the public and private sector to include venture capital firms in the United States.
- Streamline Defense Acquisition Milestone Decision Process – Establishes a pilot program to improve DOD’s acquisition milestone decision process.
- Expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Army Air and Missile Systems – Provision to expand the use of AI into army air and missile defense weapons systems.
- Building Partner Combat Air Capability – Helps optimize training systems worldwide for U.S. and allied forces.
- Light Detection and Ranging Capabilities – Encourages DOD to tap the private sector for highly effective airborne mapping capabilities being used to support other federal agencies.
Additionally, a provision was included requiring the Air Force to provide a briefing to Congress on the bomber force, including the legacy bombers, the acquisition of the B-21 and the integration of the B-21 to the bomber force. This will help us stay updated on the latest information regarding the future of Ellsworth Air Force Base in Box Elder.
