BRUNSWICK, ME – U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today announced that he has been appointed as a conferee to the House of Representatives and Senate conference committee charged with reconciling differences between the two chambers’ competing versions of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“The NDAA is one of the most important pieces of legislation the Congress will take up this year,” said Senator King. “This bill authorizes critical national security needs, includes a pay increase for men and women in uniform, and ensures that Maine’s shipbuilders and contractors can continue to conduct their vital work on behalf of our national defense. I am proud of the Senate bill which passed 86-8, and look forward to working with my colleagues from both chambers to ensure that the final version reflects the thorough and bipartisan work our committees have done.”

The 2020 NDAA includes a number of vital provisions for Maine, including $5.1 billion for the procurement of 3 DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in fiscal year 2020, which Bath Iron Works (BIW) can compete to build, and funds for the completion of the DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers, all of which are being built at BIW. The legislation also includes provisions that prioritize cybersecurity strategy, which is a focus of Sen. King’s work as co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission. More provisions backed by Senator King can be found HERE.

In addition, the legislation includes the Damon Paul Nelson and Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Years 2018, 2019, and 2020, which provides funding for the Intelligence Community. Senator King, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, successfully advocated for the inclusion of his and Senator Jim Risch’s (R-Idaho) Securing Energy Infrastructure Act, which will defend the U.S. energy grid by partnering with industry to utilize engineering concepts to remove vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to access the grid through holes in digital software systems. The Senators’ bill was also successfully added as an amendment to the House’s version of the NDAA.