The Senate briefly reconvened today at 11:00 A.M. from its pre midterm election October recess to begin procedural consideration of H.R.7900, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Senator Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) and ranking member Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) are expected to bring up the legislation and start the process to hopefully get the NDAA passed in November or December. All the focus this November and December will be on the two biggest legislative vehicles, the NDAA and a deal on appropriations, whether it’s another continuing resolution or an omnibus with December 16th being the new deadline to keep government funded. Before they left town earlier this month, senators filed over 900 amendments to the NDAA which staff has been working through, as many of them are for non-defense issues. The Fiscal Year 2023 NDAA authorizes a topline of $847 billion for military and national security programs at the Department of Defense and for the Department of Energy’s atomic energy defense activities. It would also authorize appropriations in 2023 totaling $0.3 billion for nondefense activities, mainly for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
When the Senate adjourns, it will reconvene for brief pro forma sessions only, with no business being conducted on the following dates and times: Friday, October 14th at 11:30 a.m.; Tuesday, October 18th at 11:30 a.m.; Thursday, October 20th, at 9:00 a.m.; Monday, October 24th at 1:45 p.m.; Thursday, October 27th at 12:00 noon; Monday, October 31st at 10:00 a.m.; Thursday, November 3rd at 10:30 a.m.; Monday, November 7th at 10:30 a.m.; and
Thursday, November 10th at 12:00 noon. When the Senate adjourns on Thursday, November 10th, it will next convene for votes at 3:00 P.M. on Monday, November 14th.
The House remains in recess and will reconvene for votes at 6:30 P.M. on Monday, November 14th.
