US House approves Taiwan defense bill - Taipei Times

• Staff writer, with CNA

The US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee on Thursday approved a fiscal year 2027 defense authorization bill that includes up to US$1 billion to help Taiwan improve its self-defense capabilities.

After more than 14 hours of deliberations, the committee advanced its version of the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in a 44-12 vote.

The bill includes the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative, which aims to boost Taiwan's self-defense capabilities by providing funding for areas such as medical support, training and the joint development of uncrewed systems with the US, in line with the Taiwan Relations Act.

Photo: Reuters

The NDAA is the annual US defense policy bill. The House and the US Senate are required to reconcile their respective versions and pass a final measure before it can be sent to the president for signature and become law.

Meanwhile, the committee's Cyber, Information Technologies and Innovation Subcommittee said it recognizes that resilient communications between Taiwan and the US are essential for effective coordination during steady-state operations and crisis scenarios.

The cyber committee said that disruptions to communications infrastructure in a contested environment could significantly hinder Taiwan's ability to communicate with US forces and partners.

Capabilities should be assessed and any gaps addressed to ensure communications can be maintained under stressed conditions, it said.

It directed the US secretary of defense to submit a report to congressional defense committees by March 1 next year, evaluating the extent to which mobile ad hoc networking and commercially derived communications systems in Taiwan support US operational requirements.