On April 27, the House Armed Services Committee approved, 60-2, H.R. 4909, the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Several subcommittees, including the Military Personnel Subcommittee, approved their respective portions of the bill during the week of April 18 (see The Source, April 22).
According to the committee summary, the bill would authorize $543.4 billion in discretionary base funding for FY2017, which is consistent with the funding level set in the Bipartisan Budget Agreement (P.L. 114-74). In addition, the bill would provide $23.1 billion for overseas contingency operations (OCO) and an additional $35.7 billion for OCO that would expire in April 2017.
The bill would require the secretary of Defense to study the feasibility of dual military shared parental leave in the event of the birth of a child. The measure also would increase up to 14 days the amount of leave for a spouse of someone who gives birth; dual military couples who adopt a child would be allowed to split up to 36 days of leave.
As amended, the legislation also would require women between the ages of 18 and 26 to register for selective service.
