H.R. 8800

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027

Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027

This bill sets forth policies and authorities for FY2027 for Department of Defense (DOD) programs, activities, and military construction as well as the national security programs of the Department of Energy (DOE).

Among other elements, the bill

  • authorizes the procurement of various items, including aircraft and ships;
  • sets active duty and reserve component personnel strength levels;
  • sets policy regarding various aspects of military health care and military compensation;
  • sets policy regarding DOD acquisitions and acquisition management, including contracting authorities and the acquisition workforce;
  • sets policy for various matters related to DOD interactions with foreign nations, including matters concerning Israel, Europe, and the Indo-Pacific;
  • sets policy for various matters related to DOD cybersecurity and artificial intelligence;
  • requires DOD to include projected demand for foreign military sales in certain contexts, including munitions production planning, sustainment planning for major defense acquisition programs, and decisions regarding production rate increases of defense articles;
  • requires DOD to establish an expedited qualification process for new domestic and allied sources of certain strategic materials, including specified metals, alloys, oxides, and magnets;
  • authorizes specified military construction projects and extends the authorization of certain projects from previous fiscal years; and 
  • authorizes the National Nuclear Security Administration, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Naval Petroleum Reserves, and Maritime Administration.

For additional information on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) see

  • In Focus IF10516, Defense Primer: Navigating the NDAA, and
  • In Focus IF10515, Defense Primer: The NDAA Process.

Text of the bill

Expand all

A Department of Defense Authorizations

I Procurement

A Authorization of Appropriations

B Army Programs

C Navy Programs

D Air Force Programs

E Defense-wide, Joint, and Multiservice Matters

II RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION

A Authorization of Appropriations

B Program Requirements, Restrictions, and Limitations

C Plans, Reports, and Other Matters

III Operation and Maintenance

A Authorization of Appropriations

B Energy and Environment

C Logistics and Sustainment

D Reports

E Other Matters

IV MILITARY PERSONNEL AUTHORIZATIONS

A Active Forces

B Reserve Forces

C Authorization of Appropriations

V MILITARY PERSONNEL POLICY

A Officer Policy and Reserve Component Management

B Recruitment, General Service Authorities and Prohibitions, and Military Records

C Member Training

D Member Education

E Military Justice

F Investigations and Other Legal Matters

G Career Transition

Sec. 564. Study on separation of members of the Armed Forces due to the mandate to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and the transfer of education benefits by such members Added Jun 15

Where this section came from

Not in the first version (Introduced in House, May 13).

  1. Jun 15, 2026 · Reported in House Marked up by House Committee on Armed Services, Jun 4 Reported by House Committee on Armed Services, Jun 15 Committee members' individual votes aren't in our records.
What is a markup?

A markup is a committee meeting where members go through a bill and vote on changes before sending it to the full chamber.

(a) Study. The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a study on covered individuals and the transfer of education benefits by covered individuals to covered dependents.

(b) Report

(1) Requirement. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report containing the results of the study required by subsection (a). Such report shall include—

(A) the number of covered individuals;

(B) the number of covered individuals who initiated a transfer of education benefits to a dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title 38, United States Code, before separation;

(C) the number of covered individuals who initiated such a transfer and did not complete the years of service in the Armed Forces necessary for such dependent to commence use of such education benefits in accordance with such section before separation;

(D) the number of members of the Armed Forces who were denied a religious exemption from the mandate to receive the COVID-19 vaccine during the period beginning on August 24, 2021, and ending on January 10, 2023;

(E) the number of covered individuals who were denied such a religious exemption;

(F) the number of covered individuals who returned to service in accordance with the terms of Executive Order 14184 (relating to reinstating service members discharged under the military's COVID–19 vaccination mandate);

(G) the number of covered individuals who returned to service in accordance with the terms of Executive Order 14184 (relating to reinstating service members discharged under the military's COVID–19 vaccination mandate) who initiated a transfer of education benefits to a dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title 38, United States Code, before separation and return to service;

(H) the number of covered individuals who returned to service in accordance with the terms of Executive Order 14184 (relating to reinstating service members discharged under the military's COVID–19 vaccination mandate) who initiated a transfer of education benefits to a dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title 38, United States Code, before separation and return to service and completed the years of service in the Armed Forces necessary for such dependent to commence use of such education benefits;

(I) the number of covered dependents;

(J) an analysis of the budgetary impact of allowing each covered dependent to commence use of education benefits that were transferred to such covered dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title 38, United States Code, without regard to whether the covered individual who transferred such education benefits to such covered dependent completed the years of service in the Armed Forces necessary for such covered dependent to commence such use; and

(K) any recommendations of the Secretary to address the separation of covered individuals and to ensure covered individuals receive appropriate benefits as veterans of the Armed Forces.

(2) Disaggregation. The Secretary of Defense shall disaggregate the elements of the report required by paragraph (1) that are described in subparagraphs (A) through (J) of such paragraph by—

(A) Armed Force in which the covered individual served;

(B) whether the covered individual served in an active component or a reserve component;

(C) the grade of the covered individual;

(D) the years of service in the Armed Forces of the covered individual at the time of separation; and

(E) the characterization of the discharge of the covered individual.

(c) Public availability. Not later than 60 days after the Secretary of Defense submits the report required by subsection (b), the Secretary shall make such report publicly available on the website of the Department of Defense.

(d) Definitions. In this section:

(1) The term covered dependent means a dependent of an individual who—

(A) is a covered individual;

(B) initiated a transfer of education benefits to such dependent in accordance with section 3319 of title 38, United States Code; and

(C) did not complete the years of service in the Armed Forces necessary for such dependent to commence use of such benefits in accordance with such section.

(2) The term covered individual means an individual who, during the period beginning on August 24, 2021, and ending on January 10, 2023, was involuntarily or voluntarily separated from an Armed Force solely on the basis of the refusal of such individual to receive a vaccination against COVID–19.

H Family Programs, Child Care, and Dependent Education

I Decorations and Awards

J Other Matters and Miscellaneous Reports

K Military Chaplains Modernization Act of 2026

VI MILITARY COMPENSATION AND OTHER BENEFITS

A Bonus and Incentive Pays

B Allowances

C Leave

D Family and Survivor Benefits

E Defense Resale Matters

F Other Benefits, Reports, and Briefings

VII Health Care Provisions

A TRICARE and Other Health Benefits

B Health Care Administration

C Studies, Reports, and Other Matters

VIII Acquisition Policy, Acquisition Management, and Related Matters

A Acquisition Policy and Management

B Amendments to General Contracting Authorities, Procedures, and Limitations

C Provisions Relating to Acquisition Workforce Development

D Intellectual Property Matters

E Other Matters

IX Department of Defense Organization and Management

X General Provisions

A Financial Matters

B Naval Vessels and Shipyards

C Counterterrorism

D Miscellaneous Authorities and Limitations

E Studies and Reports

F Other Matters

XI Civilian Personnel

XII Matters relating to Foreign Nations

A Assistance and Training

B Matters relating to the Near and Middle East

C Matters relating to Israel

D Matters relating to Europe

E Matters relating to the Indo-Pacific

F Reports

G Other matters

XIV Other Authorizations

A Military Programs

B Other Matters

XV Cyberspace-related Matters

A Cybersecurity

B Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence

C Reports and Other Matters

XVI Space Activities, Strategic Programs, and Intelligence Matters

A Space Activities

B Defense Intelligence and Intelligence-Related Activities

C Nuclear Forces

D Missile Defense Programs

E Other Matters

F Matters Relating to Adversary Supply Chains

XVII Other Defense Matters

A Miscellaneous Authorities and Limitations

B Other Matters

C Initiating biomedical outcomes to garner advancements into innovative efficacy

D Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Records Collection At the National Archives and Records Administration

XVIII Revitalization of the Defense Industrial Base

A Provisions to Protect and Strengthen Supply Chains

B Provisions Relating to Defense Industrial Base Manufacturing

C Organic Industrial Base

D Small Business Matters

E Defense Industrial Base Workforce Matters

F Other Matters

B Military Construction Authorizations

XXI Army Military Construction

XXII Navy Military Construction

XXIII Air Force Military Construction

XXIV Defense Agencies Military Construction

XXV International Programs

A North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program

B Host Country In-Kind Contributions

XXVI Guard and Reserve Forces Facilities

XXVII Base Realignment and Closure Activities

XXVIII Military Construction General Provisions

A Military Construction Programs

B Military Housing Reforms

C Real Property and Facilities Administration

D Land Conveyances and Withdrawals

E Pilot Programs

F Miscellaneous Authorities

G Reports and Other Matters

C Department of Energy National Security Authorizations and Other Authorizations

XXXI Department of Energy National Security Programs

A National Security Programs and Authorizations

B Program Authorizations, Restrictions, and Limitations

C Reports and Other Matters

XXXII Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

XXXIV Naval Petroleum Reserves

XXXV Maritime Administration

A Authorization of Appropriations

A Maritime Administration

B Merchant Marine Academy

C Other Matters

D Coast Guard

E Maritime Workforce and Education

XXXVI SHIPs for America

A Oversight and Accountability

B Maritime Security Trust Fund

C Sealift capability

D Vessels of the United States in international commerce

1 Strategic sealift programs

2 Cargo preference

3 Regulatory reform

E Shipbuilding

1 Shipbuilding financial incentives

2 Department of Defense Programs

3 Shipbuilding innovation and infrastructure

F Workforce Development

1 Workforce incentives

2 Workforce Pipeline

3 United States Merchant Marine Academy and State maritime academies

4 Maritime Credentialing Modernization

D Funding Tables

XLI Procurement

XLII Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation

XLIII Operation and Maintenance

XLIV Military Personnel

XLV Other Authorizations

XLVI Military Construction

XLVII Department of Energy National Security Programs

E SAVE America Act