H.R. 8800

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027

Sponsor: Mike Rogers

1 cosponsor
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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

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

Sec. 835. Establishment of Pathfinder Programs to inform requirements reform 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) Requirement for service-level requirements reform Pathfinder Programs. Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this section, each Secretary of a military department shall establish a program to be known as a Pathfinder Program to—

(1) inform and assist in efforts to reorient and reform the requirements process within such military department in accordance with (b);

(2) support the service chief concerned in the development of capability requirement statements for equipping the armed force concerned that—

(A) describes the operational problem to provide necessary context for the capability requirement;

(B) proposes nonprescriptive solutions to operational problems; and

(C) ensures system interoperability, where appropriate, between and among joint military capabilities (as defined in section 181 of title 10, United States Code); and

(3) develop and establish requirements-related processes of the military department concerned in a manner that supports, and is consistent with the Joint Force Requirements Process prescribed in the Manual for the Joint Requirements Oversight Council and the Joint Force Requirements Process (document number CJCSM 5123.01; dated January 15, 2026).

(b) Establishment. A Pathfinder Program established in accordance with (a) shall seek to—

(1) accelerate the delivery of capability requirements to address operational problems;

(2) remove bureaucratic barriers in the requirements process;

(3) provide operational users of required capabilities with an independent voice and direct role to ensure that capabilities meet the needs of such users;

(4) apply data-based analytics for decision making related to requirements, acquisition, and budgeting;

(5) enable a clear, unbroken linkage from strategic guidance to concepts to capabilities to budgeting;

(6) drive design, development, and integration—

(A) to integrate processes across the military department concerned and with the joint force as required;

(B) to balance the urgency of immediate needs with longer-term strategic investments;

(C) to support the breadth of existing innovative technologies and major programs regardless of acquisitions pathway; and

(D) to address all elements of doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, facilities, and policy to deliver holistic solutions considering all such elements; and

(7) align authorities to responsibilities in order to ensure that capability developers have the authority to execute and are held accountable for outcomes.

(c) Evaluation and lessons learned

(1) In general. Each Secretary of a military department carrying out a Pathfinder Program shall observe, document, and assess the execution of such Pathfinder Program, to enable the development of recommendations to improve—

(A) speed, clarity, and effectiveness in the prioritization of operation problems and the development of capability requirements statements;

(B) alignment of requirements, acquisition, and budgeting;

(C) integration of user feedback and operational insights;

(D) effectiveness of engagement with private entity partners; and

(E) alignment of requirements processes of military departments with and in support of the Joint Requirements Process.

(d) Report to Congress. Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with each Secretary of a military department, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report containing—

(1) barriers encountered the implementation of the Pathfinder Program;

(2) lessons learned and recommendations developed through the implementation of the Pathfinder Program; and

(3) recommended statutory, regulatory, or organizational changes needed to accelerate the delivery of capability requirements to address operational problems, and remove bureaucratic barriers in the requirements process.

(e) Termination

(1) In general. A Pathfinder Program established under this section may be terminated at the discretion of the Secretary concerned, but shall not be terminated on a date prior to the day that is 24 months after the date of establishment of such Pathfinder Program.

(2) Notification. Not less than 60 days before the date on which the Secretary concerned prior terminates a Pathfinder Program, such Secretary shall provide to the congressional defense committees a notification of the intent to terminate along with an updated report including the elements described in subsection (d).

(f) Definitions. In this section:

(1) The terms capability requirement, operational problem, and service chief have the meanings given, respectively, in section 3101 of title 10, United States Code.

(2) The term requirements document has the meaning provided in section 3104 of title 10, United States Code.

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