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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tonight, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7900, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (NDAA). Included in the House NDAA were six provisions introduced by Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino and seven provisions of which he was a proud cosponsor.
"I am pleased to announce that the NDAA has passed the House, including several of my amendments which I firmly believe will strengthen our national security and help keep Americans safe," said Rep. Garbarino. "Building up our cyber preparedness, combatting the fentanyl crisis at our southern border, and ensuring our veterans are taken care of are top priorities for me and critical to our national interests."
This year’s NDAA authorizes $850 billion for national defense, including a pay raise and benefits for servicemembers and their families, declaring the record number of illegal crossings at our southwest border a crisis and requiring an assessment on efforts to counter the flow of narcotics, human trafficking, and transnational criminal organizations, affirming our strong relationships with allies Israel and Taiwan, funding Israel's Iron dome, requiring an assessment of the military capabilities and the threat posed by cartels and gangs like MS-13 operating in Central and South America, among other things.
Rep. Garbarino provisions passed in NDAA include:
Small Business Development Center Cyber Training Act of 2021
Would allow Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) to become better trained to assist small businesses with their cyber security and cyber strategy needs by establishing a cyber counseling certification program and helping small businesses get the information they need to implement their own cyber strategy.
VSO Support Act
Would create an SBA-styled grant program to address the needs of veteran service organizations (VSOs) affected by the COVID–19 pandemic as they fight to keep their facilities open due to decreased enrollment, cancellation of hall events, and other pandemic-related financial hardship.
Securing America’s Borders Against Fentanyl Act
Would augment federal research and development of technologies beneficial to identifying, tracking, and intercepting illicit fentanyl coming through our borders and ports of entry by requiring the Administration to recognize the crisis at hand and build new strategies to target and detect illicit fentanyl coming through the southern border and onto America’s streets.
Cybersecurity Grants for Schools Act
Would authorize the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to award grants to states, local governments, and educational institutions for cybersecurity curriculum and educational tools in order to enhance K-12 cyber education and bolster our cybersecurity workforce.
CISA Leadership Act
Would codify the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director’s tenure as a 5-year term and reaffirms that the position will be Presidentially appointed, and Senate confirmed. CISA is the lead agency in charge of our nation’s cybersecurity and communications infrastructure. Currently the CISA Director lacks a defined term. This legislation will provide stability to the role and to the agency.
Recycled and Recyclable Rubber Products Amendment
Would direct the Department of Defense to research technology and utility of recycled rubber for a range of products, including but not limited to fuel tank pillow bladders, fuel cell liners, long term weapon and ammunition storage, face masks, hoses, sonar absorbing materials, and vibration reduction applications.
Additional provisions cosponsored by Rep. Garbarino include:
- H.R. 4611 – DHS Software Supply Chain Risk Management
- H.R. 3709 – FEMA Preliminary Damage Assessment Improvement Act
- H.R. 6824 – President’s Cup Cybersecurity Competition Act
- H.R. 7629 – Satellite Cybersecurity Act
- H.R. 7174 – NCFI Reauthorization Cyber Academy Scholarships
- DoD Supply Chain Modernization Amendment
- Cyber Academy Scholarships Amendment
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