H.R. 8800
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027
Sponsor: Mike Rogers
1 cosponsor
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
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
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
Where this section came from
Not in the first version (Introduced in House, May 13).
-
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) Findings. Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Information operations must be ongoing, iterative, and responsive to rapidly evolving conditions in the information environment. Narratives and messaging that are effective at one point in time can quickly become outdated or counterproductive as the information environment changes.
(2) Department of Defense Directive 3600.01, Information Operations, currently designates Combatant Commanders at the four-star and flag officer level as the principal authorities for integrating, synchronizing, employing, and adapting information-related capabilities and for developing, planning, programming, and assessing information operations.
(3) The concentration of tactical information operations approval authority at the Combatant Commander level creates operational bottlenecks, as those officers bear responsibility for the full range of joint force activities and may be unable to respond to tactical information operations requirements with the speed demanded by the information environment.
(4) In other operational domains, commanders at the O–6 level and below routinely exercise authority to execute tactical actions within strategic frameworks approved by higher-level commanders. A similar model may be feasible and beneficial for tactical information operations.
(5) At the same time, information operations carry unique risks, including potential foreign policy, legal, and escalatory implications, that may counsel retaining significant oversight at senior command levels. Any delegation of authority must be carefully calibrated to preserve appropriate oversight while reducing operational bottlenecks.
(6) Before directing any revision to Department of Defense Directive 3600.01, Congress should have the benefit of a thorough and expert assessment of the feasibility, benefits, risks, and implementation requirements of delegating tactical information operations authority to lower-level commanders.
(b) Report required
(1) In general. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the feasibility of revising Department of Defense Directive 3600.01 to delegate authority to approve and execute tactical information operations to commanders below the level of the combatant commander.
(2) Contents of report. The report required in paragraph (1) shall include—
(A) an assessment of the current command authority structure under Department of Defense Directive 3600.01 as it applies to the planning, approval, and execution of tactical information operations, including an assessment of existing operational bottlenecks and their impact on the speed and effectiveness of information operations;
(B) an evaluation of the feasibility of delegating authority to approve and execute tactical information operations to commanders at specified rank levels below combatant commander, including the O–6 (colonel or Navy captain) level, or other appropriate levels as determined by the Secretary of Defense;
(C) For each delegation option evaluated under subparagraph (B), an assessment of—
(i) the potential benefits, including improvements in operational speed, responsiveness, and effectiveness;
(ii) the potential risks, including risks related to escalation, foreign policy implications, legal compliance, consistency with strategic narratives, and unintended consequences;
(iii) the mechanisms and safeguards that would be necessary to ensure that tactical information operations executed by lower-level commanders remain consistent with higher-level strategic objectives and narratives established by Combatant Commanders and the Secretary of Defense;
(iv) the training, education, and personnel requirements necessary to prepare lower-level commanders to exercise information operations authority effectively and responsibly;
(v) the legal authorities and any statutory or regulatory changes that would be required to implement the delegation;
(vi) the oversight mechanisms that would be required to maintain the visibility of the combatant commander and Secretary of Defense into tactical information operations conducted pursuant to delegated authority; and
(vii) the estimated costs and resource implications of implementing the delegation;
(D) an examination of analogous delegation models in other operational domains, including fire support, electronic warfare, and cyber operations, to identify lessons learned and best practices applicable to information operations;
(E) an assessment of the experiences of allied and partner nations that have implemented delegation of tactical information operations authority to lower-level commanders, to the extent practicable;
(F) an evaluation of whether the current bottleneck in tactical information operations approval could be addressed through means other than formal authority delegation, including—
(i) dedicated information operations staff augmentation at the level of the combatant commander;
(ii) predelegated authorities for specific, preapproved categories of tactical information operations activities;
(iii) streamlined approval processes and standing execution orders; and
(iv) improved interoperability and communication systems to reduce approval timelines;
(G) an identification and assessment of any legal, policy, or operational constraints that would prevent or limit the feasibility of delegating tactical information operations authority; and
(H) the assessment of Secretary of Defense of whether revision of Department of Defense Directive 3600.01 to delegate tactical information operations authority to lower-level commanders is feasible, advisable, and in the interest of the Department of Defense.
(3) Form. The report required in paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include an classified annex.
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