U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) had priorities he supported included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027, which the U.S. House of Representatives advanced on July 22.
H.R. 8800, which aims to bolster national security, rebuild the defense industrial base, and support service members and their families, authorizes roughly $1.15 trillion in national defense spending.
“With ever-evolving threats and foreign adversaries constantly working to undermine and harm the United States, this bill ensures that our military and intelligence community have the tools they need to handle any threat,” Rep. LaHood said. “I will always vote for legislation that keeps Americans safe and supports the brave men and women who protect our freedoms and our nation.”
A priority of Rep. LaHood’s included in the FY 2027 NDAA includes prohibiting the procurement of semiconductors manufactured on silicon carbide (SiC) wafers in the People’s Republic of China.
Rep. LaHood introduced an amendment that supports building out a domestic supply chain of SiC to combat China’s state-subsidized market strategy to control the entire SiC semiconductor supply chain.
According to a summary provided by his staff, the amendment would direct the U.S. Secretary of Defense to revise the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement to prohibit the procurement of non-commercial SiC-based semiconductors manufactured in China; require the Pentagon to report back to Congress on American companies that manufacture these chips and the pressure they face from Chinese competition; and push for U.S allies to keep Chinese manufactured chips and semiconductors out of their own defense supply chains.
The House-passed NDAA also includes the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, H.R. 7296, a measure that Rep. LaHood has supported three times previously in the House. The bill would require individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote and photo identification to vote in federal elections.
“I was proud to support the inclusion of the SAVE America Act to bolster our election integrity, which goes hand in hand with strengthening our national security,” said Rep. LaHood.
H.R. 8800 now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.