S 1790: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020

Congress: 116 · Status: passed · Israel/Palestine classification: bundled package

Data (JSON) — machine-readable record of this bill (identifiers, sponsor, classification, actions, and the member-by-member vote breakdown).

Official record on Congress.gov — full text, actions, and cosponsor history for S 1790.

Sponsor: Inhofe, James M. (R-OK)

Summary

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 This bill authorizes FY2020 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation. The bill authorizes appropriations to DOD for Procurement; Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation; Operation and Maintenance; Working Capital Funds; Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction; Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities; the Defense Inspector General; the Defense Health Program; the Armed Forces Retirement Home; Overseas Contingency Operations; and Military Construction. The bill authorizes the FY2020 personnel strengths for active duty and reserve forces and sets forth policies regarding military personnel; acquisition policy and management; international programs; National Guard and Reserve Forces facilities; compensation and other personnel benefits; health care; DOD organization and management; civilian personnel matters; matters relating to foreign nations; and strategic programs, cyber, and intelligence matters. The bill authorizes appropriations for intelligence activities, base realignment and closure activities, and maritime matters. The bill also authorizes appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Energy national security programs, including the National Nuclear Security Administration. The bill sets forth policies for North Korea nuclear sanctions, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), military housing privatization, paid family leave for federal personnel, limiting the use of criminal history in federal hiring and contracting, sanctions with respect to foreign traffickers of illicit synthetic opioids, and a Cable Security Fleet to meet national security requirements. For more detailed information, see Congressional Research Service Report R46144 , FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act: P.L. 116-92 (H.R. 2500, S. 1790); Congressional Research Service Report IF10515 , Defense Primer: The NDAA Process; and Congressional Research Service Report IF10516 , Defense Primer: Navigating the NDAA.

Editorial Explainer

This bill authorizes $738 billion in defense spending for fiscal 2020 across military personnel, weapons procurement, research, operations, and intelligence activities. It does not directly appropriate funds but sets policy on military personnel strengths, acquisition rules, compensation, health care, cyber operations, and nuclear security programs. The bill also addresses unrelated domestic matters including opioid trafficking sanctions and federal hiring practices.

Why it matters

The NDAA is the primary vehicle for conditioning military aid and defense policy. While this 2020 version contains no explicit Israel/Palestine provisions in the official summary, the bill's scale and scope mean any restrictive amendments or policy language would appear here. The classification as neutral reflects the absence of directional Israel/Palestine content in the bill's operative text.

Roll-call votes (518)