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

Sec. 227. Prize competitions to support the research and development of biotechnology for the Department of Defense 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) Program required

(1) In general. Pursuant to the authority provided under section 4025 of title 10, United States Code, the Secretary of Defense shall carry out a program (referred to in this section as the Program) to award prizes to support the research, development, and commercialization of biotechnology-based capabilities that address priority areas identified by the Secretary under subsection (b).

(2) Additional requirements. The Secretary shall—

(A) before commencing prize competitions under the Program, establish requirements for the prize competition process, including—

(i) eligibility criteria for participants consistent with paragraph (3); and

(ii) procedures for the testing, judging, and verification of submissions to the competitions; and

(B) ensure that information on the prize competitions is made available to eligible participants, including by conducting outreach and posting such information to a publicly accessible website of the Department of Defense.

(3) Eligible participants. To be eligible for a prize award under the Program, an individual or entity shall meet the requirements described in section 24(g)(3) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719(g)(3)).

(4) Judges. In accordance with section 24(k) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719(k)), an individual from the private sector may be appointed as a judge for a prize competition under the Program.

(5) Coordination. The Secretary of Defense shall carry out the Program acting through the head of the Biotechnology Management Office of the Department of Defense and in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments and relevant officials from laboratories of the Armed Forces and other appropriate elements of the Department of Defense.

(6) Deadline. The Secretary of Defense shall commence implementation of the Program not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(b) Selection of priority areas

(1) In general. Before commencing prize competitions under the Program, but not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall identify and select specific, well-defined, and measurable priority areas of biotechnology research and development to be advanced through the award of prizes under the Program.

(2) Biotechnology applications. In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary is encouraged to identify and select priority areas that support the following applications of biotechnology for defense purposes:

(A) Bioenergetics.

(B) Biobased material, including for use in existing and planned systems where such materials could provide improved performance over traditional material.

(C) Biomining, including for critical minerals.

(D) Biomanufacturing platforms and processes, including for modular or deployable systems.

(E) Biotechnology convergence with other technologies and subject areas, including artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and advanced computing.

(3) Public input and other considerations. In identifying and selecting priority areas under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall—

(A) solicit and consider public input; and

(B) consider—

(i) relevant existing and planned programs and activities of Department of Defense and other research and development entities of the Federal Government;

(ii) the likelihood of relevant research or development being conducted by the private sector without further support from the Federal Government;

(iii) the likelihood that investment in an area by the Department of Defense will result in improved capabilities or readiness, including by increasing supply chain resilience; and

(iv) whether such an investment would foster innovation beyond the primary goal of the proposed priority area.

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

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