DEFENSE/U.S. House passes US$895 billion defense bill; Taiwan aid included

Washington, Dec. 11 (CNA) The United States House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a US$895 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes the Pentagon to provide up to US$300 million worth of military articles and training in support of Taiwan.

In a 281-140 vote, the House approved the 1,800 page national security bill to authorize funding for the Defense Department for fiscal year 2025.

Rep. Jack Bergman, chairman of the House Armed Services Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee, said before the vote that it was a "critically important bill" that authorizes a Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, which would enable Taiwan to maintain its self-defense capabilities.

Rep. John Moolenaar, chairman of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, said in a statement after the vote that the bill requires "a feasibility study of entering into defense industrial agreements with Taiwan to promote lethality and supply chain resilience."

Under the Act, the U.S. Department of Defense is authorized to earmark up to US$300 million next year to promote the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative.

A source on the House Armed Service Committee told CNA Tuesday that the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative is modeled on the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which allows the United States to purchase military equipment directly from private companies for allies or partners.

Pentagon data from October showed that the U.S. Department of Defense allocated a total of US$32.7 billion to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is the existing cooperation model between the U.S. and Ukraine.

The NDAA, passed by the House on Wednesday, would allow the U.S. Department of Defense and State to augment Taiwan's military capabilities in areas such as anti-armor, uncrewed aerial vehicles, long-range precision weapons, cyberdefense, electronic warfare and counter-electronic warfare capabilities, and integrated air and missile defense systems.

It also authorizes the provision of radars, anti-ship missiles, secure communications equipment, ammunition, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support, and critical combat training to Taiwan.

To speed up the delivery of arms to Taiwan, the bill requires the State Department and Defense Department to provide Taiwan with defense articles and defense services from U.S. inventories, and to provide defense supplies to foreign partners to replenish the stocks of similar supplies provided by those governments to Taiwan.

The bill also contains provisions related to the establishment of a partnership program between the United States and Taiwan on military trauma care, amputation and amputee care, and mental health conditions associated with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The 2025 NDAA includes a nonbinding Sense of Congress that proposes inviting Taiwan's naval forces to participate in next year's Rim of the Pacific exercise.

It also includes another bill called the "BOLSTER Act" that would pave the way for the U.S. and its European counterparts to develop "coordinated plans" in response to any attempts by China to overthrow Taiwan's government or occupy any of the territory under Taipei's control.

Similar measures could also be imposed if China mounts cyberattacks that threaten civilian or military infrastructure in Taiwan or imposes a naval blockade around Taiwan, according to the bill.

In addition, the bill also requires the U.S. president to submit a report to the Senate's Committee on Foreign Relations and to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on the expected economic impact of the People's Liberation Army's 30-day and 180-day blockade or quarantine of Taiwan.

The bill authorizes US$895.2 billion for fiscal year 2025, including US$849.9 billion for Department of Defense programs, US$3.33 billion for national security programs in the Department of Energy and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, and US$512.4 million for defense-related activities.

The NDAA, finalized by the U.S. Senate and House on Dec. 7, required the approval of both chambers of the U.S. Congress and will take effect once signed into law by the U.S. president.

The NDAA outlines the annual budget of the U.S. Department of Defense, but the actual allocation requires the passage of a separate appropriations bill.