Fischer Secures Defense Wins, Nuclear Preparedness Overhaul

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the top Republican on the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, released the following statement in response to the final Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act:

"This year, Americans voted to make America safe, strong, and prosperous. That starts with our national defense. This year's defense bill authorizes key military construction projects in Nebraska and authorizes a well-deserved pay raise for our service members. It also includes critical elements from my Restoring American Deterrence Act, landmark legislation that will rebuild our nation's nuclear forces for the next generation."

Senator Fischer secured dozens of key defense provisions in the bill, outlined below.

Military Pay Raise

Senator Fischer supported a provision authorizing a 4.5 percent pay raise for military members.
Military Construction Projects for Nebraska

Senator Fischer secured full authorization of funds for her two Nebraska MILCON requests:

• Additional $158 million for the planning and design of the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) facilities at Offutt Air Force Base
• Additional $6 million for the planning and design of a Consolidated Training Complex/Professional Development Center at Offutt

Key Nebraska Priorities

Senator Fischer secured authorization of funds above the President's budget request for U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) and the 557th Weather Wing, both based at Offutt. The bill authorizes:

• $3 million for the NC3 Rapid Engineering Architecture Collaboration Hub (REACH) program
• $5 million for Weather Wing research and development projects

Senator Fischer also secured a provision that:

• Clarifies the Offutt-based Weather Wing's authorities to provide weather data to the U.S. Air Force and Army

Restoring American Deterrence

Senator Fischer secured several provisions from her Restoring American Deterrence Act, which she introduced in April to overhaul America's nuclear preparedness. These provisions:

• Require the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop strategies to respond to growing threats from our adversaries, including an assessment of U.S. nuclear forces necessary to implement that strategy
• Require the Secretary of Defense to develop a strategy to promote a skilled nuclear manufacturing and vocational trade workforce
• Require the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to develop a comprehensive integrated air and missile defense architecture for the United States
• Require the Secretary of the Air Force to develop a plan to procure and deploy an additional 50 Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missiles above the current plan of 400
• Make significant management and process improvements to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and clarifies that NNSA's primary responsibility is to maintain and enhance the performance, reliability, security, and safety of nuclear weapons
• Require the Secretary of Energy to conduct an assessment evaluating two to four locations in the United States best suited to host movable, scalable uranium enrichment facilities
• Establish an Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs to advise on nuclear deterrence policies, operations, and programs

SLCM-N

Senator Fischer established a program of record for SLCM-N in the FY24 NDAA. The FY25 NDAA authorizes the U.S. Navy and NNSA to explore options that would allow SLCM-N to be fielded on a faster timeline. Senator Fischer also secured the following::

• Authorization of an additional $70 million for NNSA to research and develop the SLCM-N warhead
• Authorization of an additional $252 million for the Navy to research and develop the SLCM-N missile
• Fencing of 10 percent of the Secretary of the Navy's travel budget until the Secretary certifies to Congress that the Navy has established a program office for SLCM-N and is taking the required steps to comply with the DOD's SLCM-N decision acquisition memorandum

Chain of Command

Senator Fischer secured a provision mandating that the DOD notify Congress when the Secretary of Defense is unable to perform the functions of the office. Earlier this year, Senator Fischer spoke out against DOD chain of command problems when Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin failed to notify Congress of a medical absence.

The provision requires the Deputy Secretary of Defense to notify Congress 24 hours in advance of any planned transfer of authorities and not later than 24 hours after any unplanned transfer of authorities.

Munitions

Senator Fischer also secured provisions addressing issues within the munitions industrial base, including provisions that:

• Require the Secretary of the Army to develop a plan providing secondary production sources at existing arsenals, depots, and ammunition plants
• Create a program to expedite the qualification of alternative sources of known supply chain chokepoints
• Create a program requiring the Secretary of Defense to designate between 2-4 munitions with inventory levels below the Total Munitions Requirement to be produced by commercial companies not currently producing those munitions, as a way to expand production capacity
• Require the Department to create a roadmap for the solid rocket motor industrial base

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