Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The House Armed Services Committee approved over 40 provisions championed by local Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin this week as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.

The bill, which sets policy and recommended funding levels for the Department of Defense, passed the committee with a strong bi-partisan vote of 57-1, and now heads to the full House for consideration.

Slotkin said “Moving the NDAA forward with bipartisan support is a major step forward and bodes well for the passage of this critical bill that will fund our military and protect our national security. I’m also thrilled that the bill reported out of the Armed Services Committee last night includes over 40 provisions that I have championed – including 11 amendments that I offered and advocated for during the markup. Those provisions include measures to help secure a permanent fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, ban Chinese connected vehicles from U.S. military bases, restrict the ability of former DOD personnel to provide military training to foreign adversaries, and continue our successful work addressing PFAS and its use among our military health care providers and service members. Having worked on the NDAA as a member of the Armed Services Committee in my five years in Congress, I’ve strived to maximize the amount of my legislation passed through the bill by painstakingly securing bipartisan support for provisions, repeatedly reworking the language of those provisions to maximize their chance of success, and advocating for them in Committee. Putting in the work on the front-end means results in the final product, and I’m pleased to say that that work paid off.”


Provisions championed by Slotkin and passed out of the Armed Services Committee include:

-F-15EX Aircraft that could be for Selfridge ANG Base: Procures 24 F-15EX aircraft intended for a replacement fighter mission at Selfridge.

-PFAS Training for Military Providers and Service Members: Requires the Department of Defense to provide each of its medical providers with mandatory training regarding the potential health effects of PFAS.

-Pregnancy as a TRICARE Qualifying Life Event: Gives military family members in the TRICARE health insurance system the flexibility to make changes to their coverage outside the annual open enrollment season if they become pregnant, improving their access to maternal health care that meets their needs.

-Ban on Chinese Connected Vehicles on U.S. Military Bases: Bars connected vehicles manufactured by foreign entities of concern, including companies affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party, from U.S. military bases

-Prohibition on procurement of Chinese-made LIDAR: Prohibits DOD procurement of Chinese light detection and range (LIDAR) technology used in cars and transportation hubs to map physical spaces by detecting range and motion. This legislation targets LIDAR manufactured by Hesai, a company affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party and tied to the Chinese military.

-Investments in Michigan’s defense industrial base: Funds cutting-edge research and development in critical supply chain materials and autonomous vehicles and sustains the ongoing work of Michigan-based companies, universities, and research centers that contribute to the Arsenal of Democracy.

-Pilot program and new policies to better incorporate new and emerging critical technologies: Establishes a new test and evaluation program in the Defense Innovation Unit focused on drones and streamlines the adoption of a wide range of artificial intelligence and machine learning programs across our military.

-Bolster our military’s medical readiness: Establishes policies to ensure service members deployed overseas and their families have access to quality medical care and that U.S. military medics clinics, and hospitals are adequately prepared for combat contingencies.

Slotkin, a former CIA officer and Pentagon official, has served on the House Armed Services Committee and participated in the NDAA process since joining Congress in 2019. Last year, 27 of her provisions were signed into law as part of the FY24 NDAA.

A link to the full press release is provided.