Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet secured five provisions that will benefit Colorado in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018 that President Trump signed into law this week.
“The language we secured in the final NDAA package will bolster innovation and create opportunities for small businesses in Colorado,” Bennet said. “It will also ensure our servicemembers have the resources they need to defend our country overseas and protect our assets in space. I will continue working with local leaders in Colorado and my colleagues in the Senate to see that these provisions are implemented-from officially recognizing American’s National World War II Aviation Museum in Colorado Springs to addressing drinking water contamination around bases.”
The final bill included the following Bennet-backed provisions:
- Water Contamination: The bill includes authorization, supported by Bennet, for a study on the health effects of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chemicals that have contaminated drinking water sources near military bases across the nation. Bennet also secured additional funding for Air Force environmental restoration and remediation. Bennet also supported language in the final bill that requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to report to Congress progress on plans for the development of a fire fighting alternative and how DoD could reimburse state or municipal agencies that expended funds to provide alternative water supplies.
- World War II Aviation Museum: Bennet secured a provision, along with Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), that recognizes a museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado as America’s National World War II Aviation Museum.
- Multi-Use SCIFs: Bennet secured a provision that requires DoD to establish processes and procedures to build multi-use sensitive compartmented information facilities (SCIFs), enclosed areas used to exchange secure information. This concept aims to provide small businesses-which often find constructing SCIFs overly burdensome-with opportunities to procure the secure space needed to compete for DoD contracts.
- National Space Defense Center: Bennet secured a provision, along with Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), to more effectively defend and secure the space domain and respond to evolving space threats through bolstering integration between DoD and the intelligence community at the National Space Defense Center (NSDC) in Colorado Springs. The amendment also solidifies the NSDC’s critical role in defending and securing all U.S. assets in space.
- Small Business Contracting Oversight: Bennet secured a provision to increase competition and innovation in DoD acquisition, as well as increase small business contracting with DoD. It requires the Secretary of Defense to analyze and submit a report on the effect of DoD’s use of an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract vehicle, known as OASIS, on the small business community and on innovation.