Barry Skidmore
Journal of International Peace Operations
Volume 7, Number 2 – September-October, 2011
WITH the threat of default on the national debt behind us, most defense policy watchers have returned their gaze to one of the most pressing legislative issues for the defense industry: passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The NDAA authorizes all programs, policies, and funding for the Department of Defense (DoD) and defense-related programs in the Department of Energy. Congress must pass the act annually and no major defense program or funding allocation can be changed, begun, or ended, without this document approving it first.
The often-byzantine process of writing and passing this bill can be bewildering to those not familiar with the intricacies of Congress. However, because it impacts all aspects of the defense industry, it is important to understand how this legislation is crafted and how it will affect the interests of stability operation contractors.
