Defense News:
WASHINGTON — A House bill would restrict the Pentagon’s ability to purchase space launch services from Russian companies, while seeking to shore up missile defenses in Europe and at home.
The House Armed Services Committee’s Strategic Forces subpanel on Wednesday released its version of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and it was immediately clear Moscow is on lawmakers’ and aides’ minds in a big way.
In fact, the subcommittee’s section of the NDAA contains an entire section titled “Matters Relating to the Russian Federation.”
One provision would slap restrictions on the Pentagon’s ability to award new or renew contracts to buy “property or services” for space launch activities under the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. The restriction, which includes a proposed waiver provision, would be put in place “if such contract carries out such space launch activities using rocket engines designed or manufactured in the Russian Federation.”
“The secretary would not be authorized to award or renew a contract … unless the secretary … certifies to the congressional defense committees that the offeror has provided to the secretary sufficient documentation to conclusively demonstrate that the offeror meets the requirements of the exception,” states the subcommittee’s legislation…
