Despite the previous wish to pass the fiscal year (FY) 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) before going on Thanksgiving break, the Senate has adjourned until Nov. 29, when it will again take up the defense spending bill, according to a Senate source.
Consideration of the NDAA will resume at 3 p.m. Nov. 29, with the deadline for filing first-degree amendments coming at 3:30 p.m. and the deadline for filing second-degree amendments coming an hour before the cloture vote.
The vote to invoke cloture on an amendment by Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., is currently scheduled for 5:30 p.m. the same day. If cloture is invoked, that would begin a 30-hour clock on the post-cloture debate. After that, or if cloture is not invoked, a vote on cloture for the FY2022 NDAA would take place.
While the Senate is out, there will be Pro-forma sessions on Nov. 23 and Nov. 28, but no business is scheduled to take place. The FY2022 NDAA has already passed the House of Representatives with a number of tech amendments attached.
This is another change in course for Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who, in addition to passing the bill before Thanksgiving, had considered adding the United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) as an amendment. That plan fizzled after Senate Republicans signaled they would oppose the bill if it had a USICA inclusion. Instead, the House and Senate will conference the competition bill.
