SUBCOMMITTEE ON EMERGING THREATS & CAPABILITIES

WASHINGTON - Led by Chairman Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Ranking Member Jim Langevin (D-RI), the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Subcommittee for Emerging Threats and Capabilities (ETC) released its proposals for the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) today.  The Subcommittee will meet at 11:00 AM on Thursday, April 21st, in Rayburn 2118.  The markup will be webcast on the Committee’s YouTube page. The ETC mark is available here: Subcommittee Mark.
 
The ETC proposal is a vital part of the NDAA through which the Committee conducts oversight of counterterrorism programs and initiatives, U.S. Special Operations Forces, related Intelligence support, DoD science and technology programs and policy, information technology and Cyber operations and programs, homeland defense, force protection policy and oversight, and combating weapons of mass destruction. Specifically, the ETC proposal will:
 
Strengthen efforts against terrorists and violent extremists by fully supporting Special Operations Forces and other DoD elements and programs:
-   Extends 1208 counterterrorism authority used by Special Operations Forces.
-   Directs a strategy for Regional Counter-Narrative Capabilities against ISIS and other threats to mitigate propaganda and recruitment efforts.
-   Extends vital authorities including Non-Conventional Assisted Recovery (NAR), an authority used to rescue isolated service members and U.S. citizens.
-   Strengthens congressional oversight of ongoing counterterrorism operations and activities.    
 
Fully support and strengthen DoD cyber operations and programs:
-   Prioritizes the readiness of the Cyber Mission Force, cyber tools, and capabilities.
-   Ensures resiliency for DoD networks, weapons systems, and capabilities; mitigates against insider threats; and, provides special procurement authority to facilitate recovery from a cyber attack.
-   Supports funding and advanced oversight of the development of a new security clearance IT architecture to replace OPM’s networks that resulted in the compromise of millions of records of federal civil servants and their families.
 
Support emerging technologies and counter unconventional threats:
-   Supports directed-energy weapon and counter–unmanned aerial systems technology research.
-   Supports test and evaluation capabilities.
-   Places renewed emphasis on the congressionally-directed strategy on Counter-Unconventional Warfare threats such as those being posed by Russia and Iran.
-   Fully funds the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the Chemical and Biological Defense program, and the Chemical Demilitarization program.
-   Implements Biodefense Blue Ribbon Panel recommendations, including directing a National Biodefense Strategy and review of enhanced public-private partnerships for medical countermeasures.