(WASHINGTON) – The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Conference Report was filed with the Rules Committee tonight. Rep. Banks submitted and fought for language to be included in the report that directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a Joint Hypersonics Transition Office (JHTO) with a university consortium.
As a conferee of the conference committee, Rep. Banks signed the Conference Report before it was filed. The report received bipartisan and bicameral support.
“Hypersonics is crucial to our global competition with China. I am proud of Indiana’s contributions to this important research and their close partnerships with the Department of Defense,” said Rep. Jim Banks. “This is one of many wins for Hoosiers in the NDAA. I look forward to sharing these wins when the package comes to the floor for a final vote.”
The Joint Hypersonics Transition Office language in the NDAA strengthens the partnership between the DOD and universities by creating a hypersonics consortium. The JHTO will ensure that hypersonics research and development efforts throughout the Department of Defense are well-coordinated and will also strengthen connections between the DOD with ongoing research efforts in academia.
The language establishes a runway for Indiana universities like Purdue and Notre Dame to apply their decades of hypersonics expertise to ongoing projects within the Department of Defense.
Hypersonics is a crucial technology to compete with global adversaries like China, who have invested heavily in similar technologies.
This year’s NDAA is historic, supporting $738 billion for our national defense.
“President Trump deserves enormous credit for his leadership rebuilding our military and ensuring the U.S. defense apparatus is ready for the 21st century,” said Rep. Banks.
Rep. Banks is the only Hoosier member of the Armed Services Committees in Congress and co-chairs the Future of Defense Task Force. He also serves on the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities as well as the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces.
