WASHINGTON, DC -- The US House Armed Services Committee last week voted overwhelmingly in favor of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022, which includes tighter language over sourcing of printed circuit boards from adversarial nations.

The committee passed the annual defense appropriations bill, also known as H.R. 4350, by a 57-2 margin on Sept. 2. The $744 billion bill includes a provision for improved printed circuit board supply chains. It tightens restrictions on the acquisition of certain printed circuit boards for which supply chains may be susceptible to interference by the Chinese government, and directs the Secretary of Defense to investigate whether to extend the prohibition to other uses.

"The Secretary [of Defense] shall use the report to determine whether any systems (other than defense security systems (as defined in section 2533d(c) of title 10, United States 16 Code)) or other types of printed circuit boards should be subject to the prohibition in section 18 2533d(a) of title 10, United States Code.

"These provisions will reduce supply chain risk in critical defense systems, and will encourage development of reliable, effective, and efficient sources of printed circuit board technology in the United States and its allies and partners," the NDAA summary says.

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